What can I say, the street name just called out to me.
I decided my next Starbucks would be in the Financial District — home of the 9-to-5. Although this wasn’t my first trip to the Financial District – or FiDi as some have taken to calling it — it was my first opportunity to walk around and really take it in. The biggest distinction is the narrow streets and sidewalks, which are much smaller than anywhere else in the city. Not to mention the office buildings are some of the tallest in the city, making the slender streets seem even more confining. And although I wasn’t there during the early morning rush, I could just imagine the scanty streets cramped with suits & ties trying to get to and fro.
This Starbucks is not in the heart of FiDi, but actually closer to the South Street Seaport, where some travel in and out of the city by means of ferry. When I first walked in I was under the impression that this must be one of Starbucks’s smaller locations – equipped only to get you your coffee then get you on your way. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a stairwell leading to an entirely new level equipped with plenty of seating.
There was just one problem… I couldn’t connect to the internet. When I asked one of the baristas, he explained that they don’t have the AT&T WiFi and that this is common for most locations in the area. He also told me that this location just recently reopened after being flooded with 4-ft of water from Hurricane Sandy. I’ve yet to visit any other locations in the area to test for this lack-of-WiFi, but either way the good folks at Starbucks should probably update their App and remove “Wireless Hotspot” from the list of amenities.
Overall, the decor was nice — especially the high wall with a dozen or so different clocks on it — so come with friends, office buddies, or a good book because a laptop won’t serve you much good.
Starbucks and the City 