On my journey to explore Starbucks in Gold River, California, I stumbled upon a fabulous store located at 1401 Alhambra (Alhambra and “N” – Store #619) in Sacramento.
This store has one of the larger patio spaces I’ve ever seen! By the way, notice the beautiful blue skies. The weather here is amazing. Though if I had too many days of this warm sunny weather, I would soon miss 55 degrees.
I have to thank Julie at the Starbucks on Sunrise Drive who tipped me off to this great store. She is a black apron, nearly 10-year partner, who knows coffee. Gold Coast Blend is one of her very favorites. I went into her store becuase it’s not too far from the hotel where I was staying, and I mentioned that I was in the area to visit a Clover Starbucks in Gold River. Julie said, “Have you seen the Alhambra Starbucks in Sacramento? It just got it’s 15 year remodel, and it’s beautiful and it _just_ got a Clover.” Julie left a great first impression. I didn’t stay in her store for more than a few minutes, so I’m not writing a blog post on store #6663 but I think it deserves a shout out.
That was enough of a tip off that soon I was on my way to the Sacramento store on Alhambra. I used the store locator, found it, and soon was there. It is a beautifully designed wood with re-purposed wood themes through out. There is a big exterior sign boasting the Clover.
One more thing that is interesting about this store: They sell a chocolate croissant. I looked at that single croissant sitting in the pastry case thinking, ‘how odd. I don’t think we have that in Seattle.’
I ordered Sumatra from the Clover, grabbed a little Horizon Vanilla Milk, and ordered the chocolate croissant. The store stayed fairly busy with a steady flow of people coming and going from it. I really liked the chocolate croissant! I wouldn’t mind if those were to come to Seattle.
The store was a little messy when I first arrived, but in the fifteen minutes that I sat in the lobby, an enthusiastic partner named Brian came out and did a lobby slide. Pretty soon the traces of spilled sugar from doctoring up coffee were all gone. The store IS beautiful and so I freely took a number of photos. I want to point out the bathroom doors in this store: This might be the first time I have ever featured bathroom doors, but these doors look stunning to me.
While I was there, I was the only person (that I know of) that I heard ordering a Clover. Of course since the Clover really is totally new to their store, they have to go through that process of educating their customers about what is special about it, and the experience of “small batch” coffees by Starbucks. The register barista who helped me was definitely excited to have the Clover! (Her name is ‘Michael’).
The trip to Sacramento during this weekend trip (July 31 and August 1, 2010) produced three episodes – Here’s the complete list of the store reviews in or near Sacramento, California:
- Store Review: Licensed Starbucks in the Marriott Hotel, Rancho Cordova, California
- Store Review: Clover Starbucks in Gold River, California– Melody gets to wear a green apron!
- Store Review: Clover Starbucks in Sacramento at Alhambra and N – This store review. I meant to get this up sooner, but I’ve been busy in real life and slowing down on the blog.
Enjoy! Don’t forget, if you like Starbucks store reviews, or want to see other stores that I’ve talked about, click on this link here:
Here are the pics from the Starbucks at 1401 Alhambra, in Sacramento, California – It always fun to take a virtual tour of other stores:
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This reminds me of a store I once visited in Chattanooga, TN (or very near there) that was obviously not always a Starbucks. However, it was now and it has a HUGE outdoor patio space, if I’m remembering correctly, covered or partly covered with a fireplace!
Melody those bathroom doors are great! And the whole store looks so inviting. Not being in CA it is hard to imagine making alot of us of the outdoor patio, but it sure is nice. I wish more of the stores around here were more inviting and inventive when they remodel. And getting a chocolate crossiant! Not around here either.
That’s a pity about their Clover, at least while you were there, being used so little. We beg for them here and in all of the Chicago area we got two! (one of which, as you know, actually couldn’t keep up and ended up getting TWO Clovers, which are busy all the time).
I’m not a ‘crossiant’ fan of any type but I’m glad you found this one…I can imagine that combo of buttery light bread and chocolate being very tasty.
And I agree about the doors, the wood is beautiful!
ps: on another note, as usual, in a different store yesterday so ended up needing to refer to your site….used my last card on the barista. (your cards) So, whenever you get a chnace, I can always use them;) Thanx!
That is a pretty store, thank you for sharing.
I love how they advertise the clover, hopefully it’s a large enough sign people ask about it.
We used to have chocolate crissonts a long time ago near me, then one day, gone, i miss them.
I’m interested in a coffee cup on the roof, very pretty. And I want to look in the cup. 😀
The design of the wall is artistic. Also, I like the design of the floor.
This store looks really nice!! I love the design!
@Nob
I wanna swim inside of this cup when it’s full of coffee…:D
Re-purposing old stores like this would be a nice addition to the green/leed initiatives that Starbucks has been focusing on.
On a side note, I was in a store in downtown Chicago yesterday and they have introduced two recent changes:
1) a morning express drip coffee line and
2) all pastries are individually wrapped in cellophane bags and the pastry case is open on the customer side (the customer selects the individual pastry). Very interesting. I didn’t have a camera so I didn’t take any pictures.
Melody,
I just wanted to say thank you for the acknowledgement you gave me. To be honest, it had been a very long time since I had been asked what my favorite coffee was. In a way, you caught me off guard. However, it was so refreshing to have a genuine conversation about something I am so passionate about. Thank you for spending a few minutes with me!!!
I am thrilled you were able to commute downtown and check out Alhambra. It is an amazing store, one of which I am proud to say I have worked at. Both Alhambra and Gold River are, to the core, what Starbucks is about, Customer driven and “Customer Owned”. Both are obviously well established in their communities and take great pride in everything we do as a company.
Thank you again for showcasing these stores. I know first hand how hard our Partners work to create the Third place.
Respectfully,
Juli- Store 6663
P.S. The back story to Alhambra (so I’ve been told, don’t quote me) is many years ago it was a breakfast restaurant and the giant coffee cup actually used to be an egg…kind of funny.
I wish we had chocolate croissants too!
Iif your travels take you into Orange County, give me a shout. I’ll take you to Kean’s for a Turkish Latte. (Yummy latte finished off with cardamon.) Mexican mocha has chili powder, and they have three types of sipping chocolate.
@CD and @Pam –
@Pam I travel to OC often because family lives down there! I know we’ll connect some time.
@CD – WOW! A store testing a coffee only line??? What store is this? Is this a company-operated store? I seriously need a trip to Chicago.
@Juli – Thank you for the sweet post! I hope that people above you (above the SM level) know what great passion you have for our company. (Sorry – I know I say “our” all the time like as if I work there, it’s just comes out that way naturally for me).
Thanks for the tour, Melody! 😀
I should go to a Starbucks before I leave Miami for Dijon…I’ll do that sometime with a friend.
Pam: wrote somewhere about adding cardamon to coffee?…… this is an old ‘trick’ we used to do all the time back in the ’70’s…..add a little cardamon to the coffee before perking! It was quite good…somehow enhancing. I’d forgotten about that…..
@denise r. Yes, the Turkish Latte with cardamon is very subtle, but wonderful. I remember how adding cinnamon to brewed coffee was very popular in the late 80s and 90s. But I know some of my friends stopped doing it after the cinnamon apparently messed up their coffee maker! Here’s a picture of some of the lattes they make at Kean’s: http://www.keancoffee.com/LatteArt.aspx
to Pam: those were beautiful pics of lattes! that’s how they do it here in Chicago at Intelligentsia. Their ‘foam’ in a latte tastes like cream….and they make those beautiful design swirls.
@denise r. Yes, their lattes are very creamy! This conversation reminds me of another friend who once made after-dinner coffee using some vodka. I can’t quite remember exactly how much he used or how it came out, but it wasn’t very good. This was in the late 80s — before Starbucks arrived in this area.
What an awesome store, I’ll have to go down there this weekend. You always bring out the best in the partners wherever you go and that it what makes the store truly awesome! I’ll raise a cup of my Clover to you when I’m there. Thank you for bringing out the human side of Starbucks and bringing the positive things out as well.
@jetblue711- Thank you! I intentionally try to not write very much about the feedback I get on this blog and my role in it because I don’t want to sound boastful (even if inside I’m beaming with pride). The truth really is that the people who use the “contact me” form and tell me things like, “this blog make me feel closer to Seattle and my store is so far away from Seattle” or “thank you I really learned something useful from your blog” or “your enthusiasm helps me” … all of that motivates me and keeps me going.
I had told several people that I might just quit this blog on September 9th (that’s the exact one year anniversary). A couple of people emailed me and said that the blog fulfiled a unique niche as a place to go online to celebrate Starbucks
Anyway, you get the picture. Thank you.
And to all the people who use the “contact me” form and suggest ads for this site, the answer is “no”! LOL
@CD – As to testing a “coffee only” line … I happened to be chatting with a barista today who had recently taken a trip to Washington DC, and just stumbled upon a Starbucks currently testing a brewed coffee only line! I guess this test is happening in Chicago and DC! She loved it from what she saw. She said there were two pastry cases, and a physical barrier between the two lines and her two cents was that it worked very well at this DC store. I still question whether most stores would have the layout for this.
re: “coffee only” line: I can see these working in the very small downtown (in the loop area) stores….but not so much in the neighborhoods…where, usually the stores are larger and, generally! more ‘laid back’, if that term can ever be applied to any Sbux;)
What a cool looking store! I wish I could visit. I love Starbucks and I love California. And that chocolate croissant looks delicious! I could definitely handle having one of those and sitting out on that gorgeous patio… 😀
Talkin’ bout my neighborhood Starbucks! It’s wonderful. Love the people who work there and the Clover coffee is so excellent. I get decaf Sumatra and they are usually stocked with my favorite chocolate crossiants. Great meeting, study place. So happy to live a couple blocks away. Wish it were open later like the old days.
Hi Catherine! Welcome to the blog!! Hope you will check out some of the other posts I’ve written. I do a lot of store reviews. This store was definitely a memorable good experience. Have you gotten a chance to try any of the Reserve coffees on the Clover? The Ethiopia Ky Kebro has a lot of flavor. Wonderful. Lots of citrus, and typical African coffee flavors. And I like the Espresso Christmas Blend from the Clover, though that’s a much bolder cup of coffee than the Ethiopia. Come back again soon, and tell the store partners to come read their store review! It’s very possible that new baristas or others have missed it.
Today is Thanksgiving so hope you are habing a good holiday!
Melody
Thanks for this post, I had no idea there was a clover in Sacramento. I’m heading over there to try it ASAP!
Hi Gus! Welcome to the blog! Hope you’ll report back on what you thought of the coffee. I suggest the new Ethiopia from the Clover. I know this is very pedestrian, but I happen to like the Espresso Christmas Blend from the Clover too. I want to hear about your trip to the Alhambra Starbucks. Hey, you can become a fan on my facebook fan page too. 😉
Hi Melody!! Thank you for the beautiful description and photos of my store! I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet you! I’m glad you had a great visit and I hope to see you in again someday soon! PS: sorry this is so late, but it’s the first time I’ve checked back! Thanks again!
Hi Heather! Thank you for coming back to the blog! Better late than never. Hope you will “like” the Facebook page too.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/StarbucksMelody/180068562003180
It’s always a lot of fun visiting Starbucks in a variety of places. It’s great to see the magic of Starbucks working all over the country! And you do have beautiful bathroom doors by the way!
I have been there! It really is beautiful, and as always, Starbucks is the gold standard in excellent coffee.