Business & Tech
Which Starbucks Along Route 1 is the Best?
I hit the trio of Starbucks along the Hybla Valley stretch of Richmond Highway to see how a popular chain keeps it personal.
The very elements that make franchises successful enough to expand their business into a national juggernaut are the same qualities that ultimately become their downfalls.
Predictability (aka, consistency) becomes the goal in a new franchise; you can get the same burger or cup of coffee in Duluth as in Decatur with no surprises.
And if American consumers are devoted to anything more than burgers, it's coffee. No one embodies the coffee cult like Starbucks.
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With 11,000 of those stores in the US, another 1000, in Canada and 700 in the tea-loving UK, Starbucks has built a fortress. I mean, there are three stores in a two-mile stretch of Route 1.
With that in mind, my goal was to find out how such a huge and pervasive chain really sustains its brand and its store density. Also, all the stores get their food from their Pennsylvania distribution center; the only difference is some stores carry more varieties of foods than others and some carry hot foods.
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Beacon Mall Starbucks:
Knowledgeable staff, very friendly, great service.
Top Selling Drink: Caramel Macchiato (hot) and Caramel Frappachino (cold)
Top Selling Beans: Christmas Blend (seasonal) and Casi Cielo (year round)
Top Food Items: Cupcakes (red velvet), Blueberry Scones, Lemon Pound Cake
Notes: Cupcake was very good, scones were too sweet, pound cake good (I mean, it's pound cake). Offers hot and cold sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. Busiest time 7-11 am.
Vibe: Friendly locals, more people reading books, papers, etc. than working on laptops. Age-diverse crowd. Business was steady but more "to-go" than "drink in."
Mount Vernon Square Starbucks in the Safeway
Friendly, knowledgeable staff, great service.
Top Selling Drink: Caramel Macchiato
Top Selling Beans: Casi Cielo
Top Food Items: Banana loaf
Notes: While most the business is regulars stopping in for a cup, this location has limited seating and no hot food items. Built to grab a coffee and go, which is what their regular customers do.
Vibe: Quiet space with a couple of small tables near the check-out registers. Not a place to sit and sip, more a get and go feel.
Mount Vernon Plaza Starbucks
Friendly, knowledgeable staff, great service.
Top Selling Drink: Skinny Vanilla Latte
Top Selling Beans: Cafe Verona, Pike's Place
Top Food Items: Sausage and Egg Artisanal Breakfast Sandwich, Madelines
Notes: Breakfast wrap is outstanding (and healthy), and the Artisanal Breakfasts are interesting, Paninis are decent for the price, sandwiches are solid. Busiest time 7:30 - 10:30 am weekdays; busiest day is Saturday morning.
Vibe: Bustling business, layout is most conducive to sitting and sipping, more youthful, online crowd with a suburban family feel mixed in.
Starbucks -- Beacon Mall
703-721-1642
Starbucks -- Mount Vernon Square Safeway
703-533-3800
Starbucks -- Mount Vernon Plaza
703-717-0910
