There is now a Clover Starbucks store in San Clemente, California! I dropped by on Saturday, June 16, 2012, and met up with the district manager, Dave. It was totally fun seeing Dave again: I had met him on a previous trip to California at a different Orange County Starbucks, back when he was a store manager, and connected with him then. I know I say this often, but it feels like a small Starbucks world. The store manager, Brad, joined us for coffee too, and we sat for a bit chatting about Starbucks, and life in general. This was an informal meeting – not a coffee tasting, but rather just casual conversation.
The store partners were very friendly. I ordered a Galapagos Island coffee from the Clover brewer. I thought this was interesting: the store’s coffee master, Kyle (who is a 6-year partner), suggested that I try pairing Galapagos Island with squash. An interesting suggestion, for sure. (If anyone has tried this, please let me know!) Kyle and I chatted a minute, and I learned that his favorite coffee is the Indonesian Blue Java. I have to say that the partners I met were naturally and genuinely friendly.
By the way, I have a sister that lives not too far from this store, and she confirmed the same: She said that she’s been very happy with the service when she drops by and orders iced tea.
This store first opened January 19, 1996, and then it went through a major remodel last September. The Clover was launched at the end of October last year.
If you want to visit, here’s the store’s address:
Starbucks #670
638 Camino de los Mares
San Clemente, California
(949) 496 – 5900
Here’s this pretty store!
By the way, if you like reading about and seeing Clover Starbucks photos, I have a category of them here. Generally speaking, the store reviews that are Seattle stores are all spontaneous visits, and those where I’ve traveled to other cities are generally a bit more planned. I definitely have some favorite store articles: The Harvard Yard Starbucks, a flagship store in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is stunning. The design of the Terry and Republican Starbucks in Seattle is unique, and the high ceilings make the store feel huge. The University Village Starbucks has a Clover, and the store itself has a lot of Starbucks history, given that it was the second company-operated store ever. (Store number 302). It is also the location of the current in-store baking test. The Clover Starbucks on 15th Avenue East in Seattle is one of the few Starbucks stores anywhere in North America that operates with a manual espresso machine. If you want some of the earliest launch history of the Clover, this blog post, now two and a half years old, talks about the Clover when it was first launched. Oh yes, and in Park Ridge, Illinois, you’ll find a friendly Clover store with an ATM machine in the store!
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what a nicely done remodel…..she said, jealously.
Love the windows and the chairs. Seems like a comfortable store. And an ATM in a SB store! How unusual. Have never seen that around here. BTW Melody love the fact that your sister orders iced tea!
Very nice! I think several stores in my area could use a remodel. The one I visit the most is just so worn out looking. Not comfortable or inviting anymore and with the shared open space with a bank it’s just kind of awful. The merchandise unit is right next to some chairs so it’s impossible to get to if anyone is sitting in that area. Who decides how to arrange the furniture, coffee baskets, condiments table, etc. in the stores?
Thanks for the comments. I definitely think this re-model has been well received. Yesterday, over my lunch hour, I ran to Nordstrom, and decided to do some shoe shopping. The sales woman who helped me was quite affable, and friendly, and mentioned that she had just moved to Seattle from California. I always ask where in Calif, since I’m from the OC< at least a million years ago, I lived down there. She told me that moved from San Clemente and she even mentioned THIS Starbucks as her Starbucks and how much she loved the remodel! It was quite a coincidence talking to her. And needless to say, I bought a pair of shoes.
Neat to finally see a featured Clover store that I’m familiar with. It seems like it was closed for a while. I remember driving by during the remodel and wondering how that Starbucks could be going out of business. I was pleasantly surprised to find it reopened as a Clover store.
Melody, besides Harvard Yard, have you featured any other stores with two Clover machines? I recently visited the Times Square location and was impressed to see its own dedicated Clover only area with two machines side by side. The barista mentioned to me that was one of three stores that had two–the other two being Harvard and Englewood. Found it hard to believe a Seattle store wouldn’t be on the list.
Eric I have been to the Harvard Square store and am very familiar with the Englewood store. They were so excited when the second clover machine was put in and they remodeled the counter area. The Englewood store does an impressive number of clover sales hence the second machine.
Eric – Great question about stores with two or more Clover brewers. I can clearly recall when First & PIke ( http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2011/07/10/first-and-pike-starbucks-a-unique-and-gorgeous-clover-store/ ) got a second Clover. The store manager mentioned to me it was the first store ever to get two Clovers in one store. I think that store has had 2 Clovers since like 2009!
The “Streets of Woodfield” Starbucks has two Clovers, and actually, may now be the only store with 3 Clovers – Denise would know for sure as she does visit this store: (http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2011/06/08/streets-of-woodfield-clover-store-chicago-4500-square-feet-of-starbucks-goodness/)
I’m sure the Olive Way Starbucks – frequently mentioned on this blog – has two Clovers, and I think it has an unusual set up because the two Clovers are not side by side, rather across the bar area from each other. I’m sure that Olive Way has had two Clovers for a while too.
I’m sure I’ve written about others, but that is what comes to mind on this early Sat morning.
@Eric: there are a few Sbux in the Chicago area that have two Clovers…..in addition to Streets, one of the ones that Melody wrote about last yr…Park Ridge,Il…..very soon after getting their first Clover got a second one. And there’s another one in the city, Piper’s Alley, that I am told has two.
@purple: the one with the ATM is the Park Ridge one..it used to be a bank (they call it “big Park Ridge” around here as there is another corp store just around the corner…smaller and older) anyway, it used to be a bank and they just decided to leave the ATM in the entryway…am pretty sure Melody posted a pic of that in her thread about that visit last spring.
There are sooo many Sbux here that could easily support one or two Clovers. Time will tell. (that Park Ridge store was, at one time last yr, 2nd in sales of Clover coffee nationwide..at least I was told that by the dm and an asm who was working there at one time)
Are those ” Clover Brewed” mugs available to the public?
@Anonymous – The black “Starbucks reserve” mugs are available for purchase in Clover Starbucks. The white “Clover Brewed” mugs used to be really common, but I’ve seen that they’re slowly being phased out in favor of the solid black “Starbucks Reserve” mugs. I don’t think stores are supposed to sell the white “Clover Brewed” mugs, and I’ve seen some Clover stores that don’t have the at all, as they’ve switched to all the black ones. Hope that helps.
Streets of Woodfield, as of Easter (April 8th) still had only 2 Clovers. In regards to what Melody and Denise have said, If Park Ridge was #2 in Clover sales last year, it would make more sense that Park Ridge would get a third machine before Streets of Woodfield. As somebody who goes to the Park Ridge location every day, it would seem hard to believe that they could have ever surpassed Streets of Woodfield in Clover sales, but it is kind of evident once you’ve been to both.
@purple1 – The ATM is more like a forgotten old decoration on the wall. I rarely see it being used at that location. Plastic in the form of Debit / Credit Cards & Starbucks Cards are the payment of choice. It’s not overly comfortable as a store either. Park Ridge was a nice remodel compared to how it was before, but there is little comfort seating. Park Ridge is a perfect people watching location from spring thru fall. The patio is a favorite hangout. I love dogs, but it is overly congested with dogs though. I do mean some big dogs too.
Streets of Woodfield however is a huge store where you can get comfortable. There is a variety of seating. It’s a perfect setting for everybody. Whether you’re there to relax, read, study, work or just hang, Streets is the place. It also has an enclosed office as an amenity for business types.
Hope you don’t mind if I change the subject, slightly – wasn’t sure where to mention this.
I’m very excited that my neighborhood Starbucks is “going Clover” on July 16! I just stopped in to see their renovation and saw the (unconnected) Clover machine sitting on the counter. I’ve only been to the Clover stores when visiting New York, so it’s nice news for me.
I am in the North suburbs of Pittsburgh – not sure if this is the first ‘burgh area Clover store, but I was very surprised. If you’re keeping track, it’s 100 Vip Dr, #1, Wexford, PA 15090.
(maybe I’m out of the loop and everyone’s going Clover, but I will bask in my glory for the time being.)
Congrat’s theatrenut! The habit can get expensive though, but don’t let that steal your glory.