Some of my readers might recall a previous blog post I had where I talked about Starbucks Clover store locations. Only a small percentage of Starbucks have the Clover brewer, and these very small number of stores receive special “small batch” coffees to go with their special equipment. Starbucks is definitely working on expanding the number of stores with the Clover brewer, and these “small batch” coffees. Even my blog post from within the past month is now a little out of date. I have heard that there are Clovers now in New Jersey, and Savannah, Georgia and they are not reflected on the list.
In this blog’s comments in a previous blog article, a reader said that Gold River, California had just launched a Clover. I decided I would go visit. The address to this store is as follows:
2095 Golden Center, #10
Gold River, California 95670
(916) 853 9728
Since I was traveling so far, I decided to let them know I was coming. I should let my readers know that there was nothing about this visit that was a surprise. The District Manager greeted me at the store, and we chatted as I had breakfast (Perfect Oatmeal) and a Vivanno. I took a large number of photos for the store, since it is so beautiful. My journey to Gold River was to experience the Clover brewer newly-launched at this site, so I didn’t leave without ordering a Clover cup of coffee. I ordered a tall Sumatra, and much to my surprise, the District Manager offered to let me make it. This was so much fun! The Clover genuinely has a ton of theater to it. There are a lot of steps, and in many ways, since there is some craft to making a cup of coffee, it reminds me of the old days of having manual espresso machines. There really is something special about watching a barista make a drink, just for you, by hand.
On the topic of theater in a Starbucks, I want to call attention to a previous blog post called Deconstructing the Starbucks Experience. That post has never really been an abutment of this blog, however the ideas in it are still important to me, and I think it makes for good reading. Here is the link one more time:
Deconstructing the Starbucks Experience into Three Pieces
A barista in a white shirt walked me through making my Clover cup of coffee. I weighed out 40 grams of coffee for my tall cup of coffee. We ground the coffee, and poured it into the bowl-like area on the Clover, and then mixed the grounds with hot water. In just a minute or so, freshly brewed coffee was ready. At the end, the coffee grounds (now called a ‘puck’ by many baristas) get scraped away and the Clover wiped down. It was a perfect cup of Sumatra.
I owe a huge thanks to the barista in the white shirt for patiently walking me through making my own drink. Unfortunately, I can’t remember her name, which is driving me nuts.
A picture is worth a 1000 words, and so below are a few photos from this store, showing off its beauty, and a couple of pictures of me (don’t laugh please – goofy pics warning!!!!) at the Clover.
Thank you to Gold River, California for hosting my visit, and making me feel like a VIP while I was there!
33 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Socialize
Thanks for sharing this really special experiencing with your blog readers!
The store looks just amazing and beautiful! It remembers me a little bit of the Conduit St Store in London…with the large shelves at the sides and lots of wood.
I am really jealous of your very special visit as a VIP including “making my own Clover coffee”…this must have been so cool!
I would be really interested how many Clover stores there are right now and how many are in planning…does Starbucks want to give every store a Clover someday?
That sounds like an awesome day, Melody! I’m glad that you got a chance to don the apron and step behind the counter. Be careful though- the feeling is addictive!
This is a beautiful store! I’m glad that they let you don the apron and step behind the counter! 😀 I think my favorite things from your pictures are the leather furniture, the design-work above their wall bays, and the big bay windows. All this, and the color tones adds a great deal of warmth to the feel of the store. It looks like Starbucks took a step back from the normal cookie cutter design and I like when they do that!
Thanks for sharing, this was fun and I wasn’t even there! 😀
Melody, you are barista! You can teach me how to use Clover next time. Haha.
The shop is excellent. Artistic shelf, big sofas.
What a great store and wow what a great experience. Kudos to the DM!
What a beautiful store! Is it a new store or newly renovated? I wish some of the stores around here were as nice and comfortable. Curious are there stats that SB keeps as to how many people ask for clover brewed coffee? From the pics it seems like you had a nice time. This town is a suburb of Sacaremento?
That’s a wonderful grin you have going there Melody 🙂 I’m glad they made your day!
@purple1 – I heard it was about a fifteen year-old Starbucks that went through a major renovation. You can tell by the store number that this store dates from the 1990s.
@Wongster and CD – Definitely so cool that I got to get behind the counter with a green apron! That green apron is seductive! The DM does deserve all kinds of props for being amazingly welcoming, and he seemed to know exactly what I wanted. I didn’t ask to make my own Clover (I wouldn’t have been so bold) but it did make me jump for joy inside that I got to do that.
I owe more comment replies in a number of threads but will have to get to later.
Going forward, all stores that get their “major” remodel (10-15 years old) will use this design approach. Use of local reclaimed materials, tile/hardwood floors and leather furniture with metal and wood tables/fixtures. It’s simply what we need to do to differentiate ourselves in this market. When some McDonalds look on par or better than stores that are barely 5 years old, something’s wrong.
I have to disagree with crema the Crop re the design approach for remodeling of stores. Although I am not sure of the age of some of the SB in my area, I do know they are near 10-15 years old and they are not following this design formula. For sure the remodeling leaves a lot to be desired in terms of a welcoming atmosphere and community. As I said before, certainly nothing like this store reviewed by Melody.
What a neat experience!
Don’t worry about the pictures-I am SO not photogenic…but I try to not let it bother me! These show you having a great time, they really seem to capture the moment!
This cafe is fabulous! (looking)
Hi Melody!
I was the barista you met at the cash register and we were very excited when we heard someone was traveling all the way from Seattle to see our little store! I thought I would leave you a comment and let you know the “barista in the white shirt’s” name is Kristen. She is one of our Shift Leaders.
Please come visit us again if ever you return to Sacramento!
@Crema_The_Crop and @Purple1 and @JetBlue711 –
@Crema & @Purple1 – I’ve actually seen a lot of these stores with this kind of repurposed wood design. Seattle now has numerous stores like this. This is becoming more common. I recall from the last analyst’s conf call that Cliff Burrow fielded some question about store design, where he said that in 2011 about 1000 company-operated Starbucks were scheduled for some sort of remodel, and that about half of those would be “major” remodels – I assume something like this.
http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2009/12/02/store-design-and-community-just-beautiful-pier-55-bellevue-square-starbucks/
^ That’s another example of how this kind of store design is integrated into new stores and remodels. I should do a blog post on the 4th & Diagonal Starbucks in Seattle which was one of the very earliest prototype stores for this store design.
I had hoped JetBlue711 would pop back into the thread – He (or she?) was part of the tip off that this is a store I should be visiting! I thank him (or her?)!!
Those are nice designs. It gives it a bit more of a “third place” atmosphere; it makes them feel a bit more cozy and less fast food-y.
Also nice to see that more stores are getting Clovers. I just wish we’d get some around here!
Thanks so much for including the link to that store. It is so amazing to me how some stores are so nice and others look like they have been put in neutral with no concern by corporate that they need to upgrade. How do they decide in 2011 what stores will be renovated? Based on number of customers and profit margin?
@ purple1 The decision for store renovations for 2011 are mostly made already. My store was fortunate enough to make the list in my area! I’m just hoping nothing major breaks in the store so the plans go through. *touches wood* Anyway, according to my facilities manager, the choice is based on a combination of age, need, and how much “spot renovation” the store needed in the past.
We are going on 9 years old, and our store looks incredible considering! Our major problems (chipped handoff plane, gate that won’t stay shut, tile that keeps coming loose, etc) are things we’ve dealt with for years. We’ve even retouched the paintwork and spackled the wall ourselves! Now, with 9 years of cold drinks leaking on the tables and destroying the finish, it’s officially time for a facelift.
I’m sure there are other factors, but those seemed to be my FM’s biggest concerns. Hope that answers your question a bit!
how cool they let you make your own Clover! very very cool. and I agree, it is amazing how many tiny factors can affect a cup of coffee! (including, of course, what you drink it from)
This is a beautiful store. Reminds me of our beauuuuuutiful Streets of Woodfield store, (with TWO Clovers;) Sbux really does need to keep remodeling some of their stores, as they are of course. But I know of one that is fairly busy and badly needs a remodel and nothing, they have been told, is in the works.
Another great trip you took us on!
Hi @denise r! I agree that the Woodfield store is beautiful – they did a great job remodeling it and it is so much more comfortable (and seems to be busier).
Gotta love the Clover there too – however the Blue Mountain didn’t match the Sun Dried Yirgacheffe in my book.
I LOVE the way this store looks! I would be so proud to be a barista there. And I am thrilled you got to make your own Clover brewed coffee!
Also, I think I’m gonna buy some flowers for our couch’s coffee table.
Again, love love love love this store’s design!
On a second glance of these pictures, is the machine to the left of the Clover brewer the grinder? Do you know what its called? The one we use, and I think is pretty standard for Starbucks, is a Ditting.
@Campspi-thank you for your passion and care for you job. It really encourages me!!
@CamSpi – Yes that grinder is a Ditting. What a great grinder. I’d love to have one of those for home! LOL
to CD: I’m glad you made it out to Streets!!! and I agree with you, blue mntn is fine but, to me, NOTHING comes close to Yirgacheffe, nothing!
A ditting for home? LOL you are great
Great post! Can’t believe there’s so many Starbucks around the globe. 😉
Would just like to say how jealous I am of you. Wish I could fly off to a Starbucks in another state anytime I want.
Oh, wait… 🙂
I love this. I’ve hear the puck called a grounie, a portemanteau of grounds and brownie.
@camspi that particular grinder is a Mahlkoenig Guatemala grinder, Mahlkoenig being the brand and Guatemala being the model. It’s the standard Clover grinder. As for the retail grinders, while Ditting is the most common, there are still many Grindmasters around. Personally I prefer the Grindmaster (especially because it’s a much easier clean), but I’m in the minority when it comes to that.
@JRMY Thanks for the info! I hope one day there will be a Starbucks themed Jeapordy, and I will win thousands of dollars for knowing pointless trivia like this. “What is a Mahlkoenig Guatemala grinder?”
that’s it! I need to go to a state with Clover Starbucks…stat! 🙂
@Camspi-yea!
Some I work with already scratch their heads at random things I know…much of which comes from here lol I do pass on the site url.
@Melody
Wow, what an awesome review! I would have loved to meet up with you and some fellow partners but I’ve been in Santa Cruz for a week without the internet. Of course you’re in Sacramento when I’m on vacation, oh well. I had completely forgot about the store in the lobby of the Marriot, seems like they are running a tight ship! It looks like you got an amazing Starbucks/Clover/Sacramento experience, I’m glad I could help with a little of it. Just curious, have you tried Breakfast Blend or House through the Clover? I’m curious as to what it will do the the lighter roasts (which I normally shy away from).
@camspi
The flowers are such a nice homey touch. Some of the old school managers around here (Sacramento) have tons of class and aren’t afraid to use the Pcard to impress the customers! I was the flower dude at my old store, I would pick them up every two weeks and we always got huge complements on them.
It continues to amaze me the difference in community from one store to the other. It is so important to have that connection with the customer and the community. I wish more stores would see how important it is.
The SB store I frequent just got rewarded by corporate for exceeding sales goals which is so nice. I really wonder given this reward and recognition by corporate what determines what store gets a clover. It has to be more than just volume? I am still surprised that they do not have a clover while other locations have a clover and I am surprised they have one.