NYC Starbucks: Worth & Lafayette

23 Jul

Worth and Lafayette Starbucks

I’m starting to appreciate the neighborhoods in Lower Manhattan the more I visit them. Not only are they older than the upper part of the island and rich with history, but they also have a more pleasing aesthetic Perhaps it’s the fact that they don’t obey the repetitive Manhattan grid of numbered streets and avenues. Down here streets run diagonal or even in circles, and they actually have names that have nothing to do with their placement. Sure it’s not logical or organized, but this lack-of-symmetry  allows for a more substantial presence for each of these beautiful buildings.

Today, I walked south from 14th street, past Astor Place, through SoHo and Chinatown (passing countless Starbucks on my way) until my feet had had enough and I came across a Starbucks that I had yet to venture into. The Starbucks I found was on the corner of Worth and Lafayette in an area of Civic Center called Foley Square. The Department of Health and the New York Supreme Court are both nearby, and the though the windows of the Starbucks you get a lovely view of Thomas Pain Park.

Inside the Starbucks, there is a small seating nook that is well-enough removed from the barista bar and line to still be considered nice and relaxing. It gets plenty of natural light and has a just enough seating to satisfy the few of us that actually want to stay and sit a while. Most people, however, seems to want to get their drinks to go. The line was consistently backed up to the entrance, and although the baristas kept it moving, there was always just as much people entering as there was leaving.

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NYC Starbucks: 33rd & 7th (Penn Station)

22 Jul

33rd an 7th Starbucks

I just couldn’t stay away.

After visiting one of the two Starbucks inside of Penn Station, I knew I had to come back and check out the other one. So I decided to take my Treat Receipt from this morning back to Midtown. This Starbucks is in the northeast corner of Penn Station — at least as far as I can tell, it is — close to the 7th avenue entrance and Madison Square Garden.

Before I found this Starbucks, I stumbled upon three separate Dunkin Donuts and dozens of other well known chains that are taking advantage of the masses that venture into the station. I came here directly after work, and the 5 o’clock traffic was in full bloom. Upstairs, where the incoming trains are posted, the crowds just pile in and stand, but down near the tracks where these Starbucks are, the crowds are like a stampede of suits and suitcases.

The Starbucks itself does a pretty good job at differentiating itself from the one down the way. It has distinctive decor, different seating styles and a much poorer WiFi connection. Also worth noting, is that this one has its power outlets covered up while the other one does not. Other than that, the lines and crowds are fairly equal, and they are about the same size.

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NYC Starbucks: 33rd & 8th (Penn Station)

21 Jul

33rd and 8th Starbucks

I’ve decided to continue my July theme of Starbucks within renowned NYC landmarks. Today my journey takes me to one of the two Starbucks inside of Pennsylvania Station (aka Penn Station).

Although deep within Penn Station near the Long Island Railroad departure tracks, this Starbucks’ closest cross street is 33rd and 8th avenue. Penn Station takes up an entire city block from 31st to 33rd between 7th and 8th avenues; and although it is not as big as Grand Central Terminal — and not nearly as nice to look at — it still burdens quite the crowd (twice that of GCT). In fact — talks have long been in the works about how to redesign, restructure or simply relocate either Penn Station or Madison Square Garden to ease the nightmarish crowds. Although, as far as I know, nothing has been decided on.

Besides, this building is over 100 years old, so it’s got deep roots. Above you can see some black and white photography from the early 1900s that are hanging on the walls of this Starbucks.

Speaking of — after spending the weekend with family in small-town New Jersey (the reason I’m in Penn Station in the first place), it was great to climb up out from the train tracks and lay eyes on that familiar green shrouded siren right here in the station. This Starbucks may not be the easiest to get to for the average New Yorker, but I’ sure it has been a godsend to many a tired traveler.

This is a fully functional Starbucks — with distinct floor tiles, lighting, music and decor. All it’s lacking is a restroom. However, that’s not much of a flaw, since most patrons seem to take their coffee to go. Yet, the wooden benches used for seating certainly aren’t vacant –not when they have built in outlets for power-starved iPhone addicts and WiFi for those waiting on a train.

All in all, if you were to ignore the fast moving crowds with luggage outside the entrance, this would appear to be your average NYC Starbucks.

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NYC Starbucks: 56th & 6th

19 Jul

56th and 6th Starbucks

I feel bad for the Starbucks on 56th and 6th. Apparently it is the exact perfect distance between Central Park and all the other tourist attractions on 6th avenue to make it the ultimate tourist trap.

It’s not too small and it doesn’t really lack for seating, but — oh my — it is crowded. This is the kind of Starbucks that doesn’t get a moment of rest from sun rise to well after sun sets. Luckily there are two doors to keep the flow moving and no restroom so that there aren’t any additional crowds. That’s actually the first time that I’ve found a lack of a restroom to benefit a Starbucks, but really, this one just couldn’t support one.

I’d say grab a drink to go, unless you’re lucky enough to find a seat.

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NYC Starbucks: Reade & Broadway

18 Jul

Reade and Broadway Starbucks

Anyone who’s ever visited New York City knows Duane Reade. The city practically runs on this hybrid pharmacy and convenience store. With over 150 locations in NYC, you see almost as many Duane Reades as you do Starbucks. And today I happen to be sitting at the Starbucks in Lower Manhattan between Duane street and Reade street. My first thought: Oh, now the name makes sense!

Duane Reade has been around since the  60s and is unique to New York — even though it was recently purchased by Walgreens. The original Duane Reade and its warehouse started right here on this street corner on the borders of Civic Center and TriBeCa. The rest is history.

So there’s your brief history of NYC’s most frequented convenience store — now its most frequented coffee house.

The Starbucks on Reade and Broadway isn’t the cleanest. It isn’t the biggest. And it’s AC doesn’t even seem to run as well as other locations. But there is something about this Starbucks that is uniquely New York. Actually, the fact that it’s small, dirty and old-looking is probably why it’s so charming. The high ceilings, tall windows with paint chipping off the panes, and narrow passageways make this Starbucks feel like home. Home for a New Yorker, that is. Continue reading →

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NYC Starbucks: 48th & 3rd

17 Jul

48th and 3rd Starbucks

New York City has been undergoing a heat wave this week. Basically, this city has been transformed into a concrete oven that heats to 97 degrees and seems to stay that way ALL day. So these Starbucks Treat Receipts couldn’t come at a better time.

The Starbucks on 48th and 3rd avenue is a tiny rectangle with a small barista bar, a row of chairs against the front window. and one long cushioned bench with tables. The neighborhood of Turtle Bay is kind of off the beaten path (unless your heading to a train), so this Starbucks seems to only attract passersby, making the tiny seating area more than enough to hold the crowd.

Despite the fact that it’s small, closes earlier than most and doesn’t appear to have any power outlets, this Starbucks is still a welcoming reprieve from this NYC heat.

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NYC Starbucks: 28th & 7th

16 Jul

28th and 7th Starbucks

I like my coffee with cream, splenda and hold the discrimination.

Currently there is a group of 12 deaf individuals that are suing Starbucks based on the actions of some baristas here in NYC. I’ve read several articles on the topic (like this one from Huffington Post), and I wish I could say I don’t believe the allegations to be true, but honestly I do.

As someone who’s visited over 100 Starbucks in Manhattan this year alone, I’ve witnessed lots of things. Mostly it’s inappropriate patrons, but at times the baristas can be a little less than pleasant. I can’t say I’ve ever witnessed any form of discrimination, though — mostly just burnt out employees that are probably in need of a 15 minute break. But what this group of patrons is accusing those baristas of is something else. It’ll be interesting to see where this case goes.

Ok. That’s enough of that. Let’s talk about the Starbucks on 28th & 7th. This Starbucks is in Chelsea directly across from the Fashion Institute of Technology. So far I’ve witnessed no one discriminating against anyone, despite the fact that this Starbucks is crowded with patrons. But I am keeping an eye out.

This Starbucks is a split level, with an elevated seating area connected by a staircase in the front of the store. There are two seating areas (one up, one down), plenty of scattered power outlets, and one restroom. The lighting is dim and the construction outside doesn’t allow much sun to seep through the windows. Luckily this Starbucks affords enough space for the giant crowd it attracts to spread out once they get their order. One helluva line though.

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NYC Starbucks: 28th & 3rd

15 Jul

28th and 3rd Starbucks

There is something special about the Starbucks on 28th and Lexington.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it at first, but I’ve chocked it all up to the ‘newness’ of this location. This is another of the recently added NYC Starbucks locations that are popping up in 2013. And this one is definitely the best one that I’ve seen so far.

It’s not the biggest, not the least crowded and not in the best neighborhood. But it is indeed one of the best. All in all, its design and style are what give it so much character. The interior is shaped like  perfect square with a minimally invasive barista bar and a cooler built into one of the walls. The rest is all seating — seating as varied as the colors of the rainbow. There are padded sofas, raised communal tables, tables-for-two, coffee tables (duh!) and even tables with wheelchair access. There are even two trendy looking benches built into the exterior walls of the Starbucks.

In other news, the Treat Receipt has officially returned to Starbucks as of today, and they will be offering them until August 18th. Hurray! So, I definitely don’t need another reason to follow up my morning cup of coffee with an afternoon iced beverage, but it sure does save some cash.

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NYC Starbucks: 42nd & Park (Grand Central)

12 Jul

42nd and Park Starbucks

For my 100th Starbucks visit for this blog, I wanted to go somewhere special; a significant place in this city. In the end, I decided on Grand Central Terminal.

Not only is this one of the most beautiful and well-traveled locations in Manhattan, but it’s also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. So I decided what better spot to make my 100th Starbucks than this 100 year old masterpiece.

There are actually two Starbucks located in Grand Central. The one I’m sitting in now  is in the Biltmore Passage in the northwest corner of the station. The other is off to the east in the Lexington Passage. The reason I chose the Biltmore Starbucks for my 100th visit is because it’s completely embedded within Grand Central whereas the other has a street exit and pretty much resembles a normal Midtown Starbucks.

Of course, Grand Central contains much more than trains and Starbucks. Did you know there is actually an Apple Store in the Main Concourse? There’s also hundreds of other retail shops, coffee houses, restaurants, bakeries and novelty shops. This place is huge (grand, if you will) and although I’ve never had to catch a train out of here, I’d probably need to arrive extra early.

This Starbucks is both impressive and basic at the same time. I guess you can say it’s a product of its environment. No need for tons of seating or coffee decor in a Starbucks in a train terminal. Instead, this Starbucks has a barista bar twice the size of any other, with two areas to pay and pick up your drinks. The line never appears too long because this Starbucks is much more focused on efficiency than comfort. And it works.

With 100 Starbucks down in the midst of summer, I have hope that I can make it to all the Manhattan Starbucks before the year is up.

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NYC Starbucks: 41st & 8th (Port Authority)

10 Jul

41st and 8th Starbucks

By now I’ve visited Starbucks within banks, Starbucks in business lobbys, Starbucks in airports, and Starbucks in retail stores. And today I add one more type of Starbucks to my hitlist: a Starbucks in a bus station. Not just any station though, this Starbucks is the latest addition to the giant Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown between 4oth and 41st street on 8th avenue.

This Starbucks is one of the newest additions to the 200 plus locations on the island of Manhattan and wasn’t here when I started this blog over six months ago. Unfortunately, that means it wasn’t hear a few years ago when I first visited Manhattan and ran through this labyrinth of a bus terminal in search of a friend who had taken a bus into the city. If it had been here, then the terminal may have been a little more welcoming.

As it is, this Starbucks is on the main concourse level of the bus terminal and is only a couple of yards from the exit onto 8th avenue and cab service. According to a New York Times article (whose headquarters is conveniently located across the street) around 250,000 people pass through this terminal each day, and I’ll bet half stop at this Starbucks. So of course, there is no need for a doorway or wall to limit traffic; the Starbucks simply opens up into the terminal, and the distinction between cafe and bus station rests in floor tiles, music (jazz, currently) and aroma. The Starbucks does gather quite the crowd, but my hat goes off to the baristas who try to stay on top of who’s sitting here enjoying a coffee and who’s just looking to loaf.

Would I recommend this Starbucks as a “Go-To Starbucks” to catch up with a friend over coffee? No… But it certainly is convenient for tired travelers in and out of NYC.

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