May 1st is the 17th birthday for the Pioneer Square Starbucks store located at First and Yesler, in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle. The store first opened on May 1, 1993, and was (roughly) the corporation’s 63rd store. (It definitely was not exactly the 63rd store because of several overlapping store numbering systems – For example, there is both a store 101 and store 301). This store has continually operated in Pioneer Square, and is currently a large space, with lots of wooden chairs and tables, and two mastrenas and several friendly baristas. I popped into the store this morning (4-10-10) because it had been a while since I had been there. At about 7:30 in the morning, somehow, every single table was taken. Busy store! The store has no comfy seating, and has an incredible variety of customers. I stopped into this store now and then over the past few years of working fairly close by, and I’ve noticed that the clientele ranges from the local homeless and indigent population, to a large number of tourists, and some business/office type people.
Here is the Seattle Times news article about the opening of the Pioneer Square store:
Starbucks Opens Store in Pioneer Square
This neighborhood gets a significant number of summer tourists who come to look at historic buildings like the Smith Tower, do the Seattle “Underground” tour, or to explore the First Thursday Art Walk. Once upon a time, this neighborhood was the artistic hub of Seattle, though over the years I’ve lived in Seattle, it seems less so, as the galleries in Pioneer Square have struggled to stay in business during a recession. The Pioneer Square Starbucks traditionally has made a concerted effort to keep local artist work, rotating it often. Keeping local art on the walls is significant part of fitting into this neighborhood.
The neighborhood’s art gallery history is mentioned in the Seattle Times article.
Enjoy a few pics of the store and the neighborhood!
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Typical American downtown store in a big city…really nice looking!
This post gave me an idea for your blog. You should consider asking Winter to do a Juan Valdez-type guest column on unique Starbucks locations that he’s visited. There are a ton of cookie-cutter Starbucks out there, but there are also some gems. I’m sure Winter’s seen quite a few of them.
CD – That’s a great idea that I hadn’t thought of! Winter would be a perfect guest blogger for this site. Though I know him, and he always seems pretty darn busy. And the truth is, I’m swamped with work I am looking for some kind of guest blog posts, but this niche is so narrow, there isn’t a world of that out there for me.
CD – I second that idea! I was just on Winter’s site and wished that more of the stores had a blurb with the pictures. I would love to hear more about the stores.
I just don’t think I have anything interesting enough to say in a guest blog post.
I like the store, and I like looking at the street (1st Ave). The roadside tree gives me relaxation.
But a coin parking(around the store ) is busy whenever I go to the shop, and I use the parking lot(the price is not good for me)of the East of the shop.
This was the first Starbucks I worked at, and the customers were the BEST. There was definitely a routine, though. As soon as the store opened in the morning, the local customers came in to sit down and drink coffee. Then, about 6-7, were the ferry commuters. Then, about 8-9, were the people who worked in the area. Good store.