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'Local' Design at Luxury Starbucks Part of National Strategy

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[Photo: Starbucks/Official]

Cuvee Coffee CEO Mike McKim blogged today about Starbucks' new strategy of designing more local-seeming stores. In a piece entitled "Should Local Coffee Shops Be Afraid?" the head of the local roaster notes:

For years now, the conversation in specialty coffee circles has revolved around the time-honored sentiment that local coffee shops are better than big chains because they are, well, local. . . but what if Starbucks became, in a sense, local?
Funny he should ask, because the new "luxury" Starbucks in the W Hotel appears to be fulfilling this exact corporate mission. A rep for the company has provided photos of the space to Eater, with a pitch that emphasizes the "local design elements" and the fact that the store "was specifically designed with Austin in mind." Those elements include a world map made out of "banned plastic bags" and music-inspired fixtures. Behold the whole localish space below.

· Should Local Coffee Shops Be Afraid? [Cuvee]
· All Starbucks Coverage [EATX]

Starbucks at The W Austin

200 Lavaca St, Austin, Texas 78701