Tag Archives: Midtown

NYC Starbucks: 57th & 8th SWC

10 May

57thand8th

The Starbucks on 57th & 8th is the emptiest location I’ve seen since beginning this blog. Yes it’s 9pm on a Friday night, but still… there are plenty of Starbucks here in Manhattan that have long lines at this very moment.

This Starbucks’ eerie emptiness is probably due to its vague placement on the NYC grid. It’s right near Columbus Circle but just south of it. It’s a few blocks from the Theatre District but several other Starbucks are much more convenient for the Broadway-goers. And it’s pushed a little too far north to attract any of the crowds from Hell’s Kitchen.

This is all bad for business — but for patrons that need a place to sit and study/read/write/etc, this Starbucks is prime caffeinated real-estate. If only it had a few more power outlets…

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NYC Starbucks: 33rd & 5th

2 May

33rdand5th

Everyone’s heard of Chinatown, but what about Koreatown?

Koreatown is a small Manhattan neighborhood in Midtown. It is just south of the giant Macy’s at Herald Square. This ethnic enclave is only three streets long, but it is simply brimming with culture. Last year I was led to this neighborhood blindly and told to expect one of the best meals of my life. That’s when I was introduced to Korean BBQ and was certainly not disappointed. Traditional Korean BBQ involves a charcoal grill built into your table as fresh meats and veggies are prepared for you table-side. Hibachi is child’s play compared to Korean BBQ. I highly recommend trying it.

But anyway, this blog is about Starbucks, right?

The Koreatown location at 33rd and 5th is a sizable location with just enough seating to quell the masses that pass through its doors. The decor is fairly simplistic and the furnishings are basic, but seating accommodations alone make this an above average location. I’d say come with a friend, a few friends, or just solo. You’ll be able to find a seat within minutes of entering.

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Reflection: April

2 May

April - Copy

 

You can tell it warmed up in the month of April just by looking above and seeing iced coffees and teas in most of my photos.

This month I reached a total of 14 unique Starbucks locations throughout Manhattan in 9 different neighborhoods. However, because of sheer density alone, most of the Starbucks I visited this month were in Midtown. Which makes sense, because if I had to give a rough estimate, I’d say 50-60% of the Manhattan locations belong to this large neighborhood.

This month I got the pleasure of visiting the one and only Starbucks located in the Lower East Side. But the most impressive Starbucks I came across in April has to be the Greenwich and 8th location. The swanky decor and plate glass walls made this one of the most aesthetically appealing locations I’ve seen on my journey. Unfortunately, this month I’ve encountered no 5-Cup locations, while I did stumble across two 1-Cup locations I’d recommend in a caffeine emergency only — both in the center of midtown on 42nd & 43rd street.

With a third of the year already spent. My plan is to kick it into high gear over the some. I’ll be searching for new neighborhoods and new drink combinations. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

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NYC Starbucks: 47th & 6th

30 Apr

47thand6th

Since moving to New York, I’ve seen Starbucks attached to a lot of random places. Starbucks in hotels, Starbucks attached to a bank, and Starbucks attached to large office buildings. But this location is truly unique because it is attached to the official NHL store here in NYC.

Get excited hockey fans! You can now grab yourself a shot while you browse your favorite team’s novelty merchandise. When I first passed by the NHL store with the Starbucks logo in the window, I assumed it was some sort of trick – like a coffee maker behind the service counter where they’d hand out cups to those that ask. But no. Attached to this hockey retailer is a legitimate (and supposedly corporate owned) Starbucks.

This location is working with a theme of bright blues and reds and consists of metal chairs for seating. It has a long bar for window seating and a small bench with individual tables tucked into it. There’s a long hockey mural on the wall (pictured above) and a giant NHL poster on an adjacent wall. Even though I have no interest in professional hockey what-so-ever, I appreciate the uniqueness of this location. Unfortunately, the blasting AC makes these metal chairs as cold as an ice hockey arena.

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NYC Starbucks: 58th & Lexington

28 Apr

58thandLexington

Before moving to New York City, I knew that Michael Bloomberg was the current mayor. What  I didn’t know is that before politics, Bloomberg was a hugely successful business man. Now, I’m sitting in the Starbucks on 58th and Lexington, which is directly underneath the Bloomberg Tower.

This large tower is one of the most unique in the city (see above for pictures). I had the privilege of touring the Bloomberg HQ last year and was taken aback. The company was founded when Bloomberg (the man) developed a computer system for monitoring financial data in real time. Now the business has expanded to a mass media hub. Besides being architecturally impressive, it seems like one of the most enriching places to work in the media industry.

And to top it all off, there’s a Starbucks on site. What more could you ask for?

Although this technically a Midtown location, it’s only two short blocks from the Upper East Side. Which means it’s not nearly as crowded, and you see much more people walking their dogs as they pass on the sidewalk. Although it’s an average sized location, it doesn’t seem to attract the typical weekend crowd, and the few seats that are here have a high turnover of occupants. The walls are mostly glass, so natural bright light is flooding through on this sunny Sunday afternoon.

Speaking of — what am I still doing indoors on a nice day like this?

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NYC Starbucks: 47th & 5th

23 Apr

47thand5th

I spent the weekend in Washington DC. I think I visited three different Starbucks over the course of my trip, and I must admit I was still shocked at how large and spacious non-NYC Starbucks tend to be. They have space that goes on for days, and seating a-plenty. Not to mention two-gender specific bathrooms. But still — no city in the world can boast as many locations as good ol’ New York, New York.

Everybody that lives or has lived in NYC is aware that space is gold. Space cannot go wasted. And wasted space will only be discovered and then eaten up by something-or-other. But there are some indoor ‘spaces’ in the city that are actually meant to cater to a crowd that means to linger — and no I’m actually not talking about Starbucks.

Scattered throughout the city, exist a few “Public Seating” areas for the general public. Usually filling the bottom floors of large office buildings, these public seating areas are filled with tables and chairs and function as indoor parks, no nature or swing sets required.

This Starbucks on the corner of 47th & 5th is actually directly attached to one of these public seating areas. It has a street entrance as well as an entrance into the seating area. Therefore, one can get there coffee (or whatever) and take it just a few steps to this climate-controlled area. Large groups can meet here with ease without worrying about the limited seating of the over-crowded lounge areas that exist in most Starbucks.

The seating area alone makes this a unique and accommodating Midtown treat.

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NYC Starbucks: 43rd & Broadway

17 Apr

43rdandBroadway

Today my Starbucks adventure took me back to one of the many Time Square locations.

Unfortunately, this one does not have much to brag about — in fact, it doesn’t have much at all. Literally, this Starbucks is nothing but a small room with a barista bar, milk station, and a swiveling line. No tables, no chairs, no restroom. Just coffee, tea, and baked goods. There were literally people sitting on the window sills. 

I’ll say one thing about Starbucks like this — they’re kind of a necessity. They’re not glamorous. They’re not meant for lingering. But without them, the nicer & larger Starbucks that are close by would be frequented by even more people. They’re both a blessing and a curse. 

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NYC Starbucks: 47th & 8th

9 Apr

47thand8th

I woke up this morning to a forecast of 80 degree temperature sweeping into Manhattan. It’s now 81 degrees outside, so I’ll keep this entry short and sweet.

The Starbucks on 47th & 8th is one I usually avoid because it’s always brimming with patrons and generates quite the line during rush hours. I know this because it’s only a block away from my apartment. I swear I didn’t chose my apartment based on this, but I can step out of my building and walk only 1 block in three different directions and find a Starbucks — it’s just the nature of this neighborhood.

Today this location is the emptiest I’ve seen it. And I’m guessing it’s because of this unusually beautiful weather we’re having. I came in and grabbed a seat right away. The lines are still long but people are taking their drinks into the streets, the parks, and any other place they can enjoy this heat spell before tomorrow’s forecast of rain.

And that’s exactly what I’m about to do.

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NYC Starbucks: 42nd & Madison

6 Apr

42ndandmadison

Let me preface this post by saying that this Starbucks is actually between Madison and Park on 42nd Street; however, for clarity’s sake I named it after the cross-street I felt it was closer to.

This Midtown Starbucks’ absence of a bathroom finally inspired me to research New York City’s codes and laws concerning public restrooms and food service establishments. And — of course — the New York Times was there to provide me with my answer. Check out this 2012 article about NYC’s shifting policy on restroom rules in restaurants. Or if you’re lazy (it’s okay, I understand) just read below:

Restaurants with under 20 seats: NO RESTROOM REQUIRED

Restaurants with seating between 20 and 30: ONE UNISEX RESTROOM REQUIRED

Restaurants with 30 or more seats: TWO GENDER SPECIFIC RESTROOMS REQUIRED

And there you have it. It all makes sense now. Since most Starbucks probably are capable of seating between 20-30 patrons, the one-unisex restroom makes perfect sense. Whereas a Starbucks of the same size in Florida would most definitely have two gender specific restrooms — and that’s because of the differing city codes. Space is of great value here in NYC, so why waste space on one or two bathrooms when you don’t need to.

This Starbucks has only 7 seats, so despite the fact that they are in a highly trafficked and see many patrons, they are well below the city code for a restroom requirement. Keep that in mind the next time you walk into a Starbucks, small deli, or cafe. Do a quick seat count before complaining that they need to have a restroom. Maybe they do — maybe they don’t.

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NYC Starbucks: 43rd & 6th

26 Mar

43rdand6th

If you had to choose between a Starbucks that offered WiFi or a Starbucks that offered a restroom, which would you choose?

What if you didn’t have a choice, and the Starbucks you were in had neither? That was my predicament at the Starbucks on 43rd and 6th. I wanted to stay — I really did — but there wasn’t anything to keep me there. I will say that in this Starbucks’ defense, it appeared the WiFi issues were only temporary, but neither my phone nor my laptop could gain access. Internet and technology fail all of us from time to time, but usually that’s when I pack up my things and head to Starbucks as Plan B.

I’m definitely noticing a pattern with the Midtown locations. They are the necessity Starbucks. They have your coffee, your tea, your breakfast sandwich or lunch pack, but when it comes to comfort or commodity — they come up lacking. Of course you can’t blame Starbucks. If only opened the nice comfortable locations, then they would be swarmed with patrons. Midtown is brimming with businesses, so the necessity Starbucks are just the supply to the neighborhood’s demand.

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