Tag Archives: Midtown

NYC Starbucks: 47th & Broadway

26 Jan

47thandBroadway

Times Square — synonymous with towering skyscrapers, bustling crowds, Broadway shows, flashing lights — and dozens of Starbucks.

If NYC is in fact The City that Never Sleeps, then Times Square is one giant nightlight. Whether it be midnight or 5am, if you take a stroll around the cross-section of Broadway and 7th Avenue you’re bound to be bathed in the bright lights of the city.

It is indeed the most iconic landmark in the city and arguably an international reflection of America itself, but for a New Yorker Times Square is definitely an area you’ll go out of your way to avoid if you have the choice. Once Broadway shifts from a trafficked street to a painted blue concourse of pedestrians (at this very street corner, actually) it can seem like quick sand to those of us just passing through. Stuffed with gaggles of tourists, giant dancing Disney characters, and over-anxious solicitors selling tickets, the area makes those of us simply looking to catch a train or get to work bite our lips and hold our tongues.

One perk: there are Starbucks everywhere! And the one on 47th & Broadway seems to be the grandest of them all.

Positioned directly across Broadway from the TKTS booth — where anyone can pick up discounted theatre tickets day-of — this location clearly aims at being a landmark in itself. Upon entering and taking in my surroundings, I was immediately impressed. Placed directly in front of the entrance-way is a large multi-screen digital display, where live-tweets to #Starbucks flash on the screen. Below this are are several interactive touch screen monitors allowing visitors to browse through a New York Times archive of news and images of Times Square throughout the 20th century. Other amenities include a gift shop for a variety of merchandise, a bar exclusively for grinding coffee, and long-glass walls lined with counter-tops allowing you to take in the bright lights of the area.

Clearly not designed for those who wish to sit down and enjoy their coffee, this Starbucks clearly caters to the masses that are looking for a quick reprieve and a warm beverage before jumping back out into the torrents of sightseers. But, hey! Why not stop by on your way to a Broadway show?

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NYC Starbucks: 52nd & 7th

21 Jan

52ndand7th

Back in Midtown, a friend and I ducked into the Starbucks on the corner of 52nd and 7th to avoid the bone chilling wind that we had inappropriately dressed for. This area of 7th Ave brings both the theatre crowd and the business crowd at once. This particular Starbucks is weaseled into the AXA Equitable Center, and like most office building cafes, this one had very little to brag about.

After ordering a set of hot coffees to warm our rattled bones, we sat in the small seating area only to be unpleasantly surprised by two things: there is no bathroom at this location, and each time the door is pushed open by someone depraved of caffeine a torrential gust of cool wind blows through the tiny seating area. And these effects only amplify one another, since tourists and New Yorkers alike are constantly running into this Starbucks (and all Starbucks) for the sole purpose of using the restroom only to be turned away a second later, causing another brief 30 degree drop in the temperature. At one point, my hat and gloves were literally blown away due to this horrible cross-breeze effect.

However, the breeze was not what bothered me most about this location. It was the fact that it was designed with an upstairs seating lounge connected by a spiral staircase — only for it to be blocked off and used for storage (I presume). So whatever redemptive qualities that may have been lurking up there were lost.

Moral of this story:

If you work in this office building, Congrats!, you can grab yourself a Starbucks coffee at ease, but this isn’t the type of location I would recommend seeking out.

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NYC Starbucks: 34th & 5th

17 Jan

34thand5th

Everybody has heard of the Empire State Building — but how many of you are familiar with the Starbucks at the base?

Yes, Starbucks has even infiltrated one of the most grand and iconic structures located in Midtown Manhattan.

Midtown certainly wins the award for most congested neighborhood in the city. Blending tourism with the white-collar workday, the Midtown foot traffic is enough to turn even the most tranquil person into a maniac. My daily trek through Midtown often reminds me of my old days of driving on I-4 in Florida: zigzagging and weaving through the slower traffic to get where I need to go.

This particular stretch of 34th Street houses some of the biggest retail flagships, from Aldo to Zara, and just a block away from Herald Square and Penn Station. But luckily, this Starbucks comes fully prepared to tackle the enormous crowds that the tourist sites of midtown bring. A split-level cafe, this location offers plenty of room for those just passing through or those looking for a seat. A passerby can get in and get out, while someone looking to take a seat need only to walk down to the lower-level. There exists the largest seating area I’ve seen at any Starbucks to date.

It is also noteworthy that this is the first location that has a revolving door to help control the masses of in-comers and out-goers. Also, two gender-specific bathrooms and an army of baristas help quell the lines that would otherwise force themselves out the door and into the street.

So — if you can cut through the masses of people outside — this is a promising Starbucks to utilize.

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