Starbucks - Woodmere, Ohio

I'm back!  I've made the long distance move from New Jersey to Ohio and come through the holidays.  I'm very excited to get back to my Starbucks visits and blogs.  This Starbucks is my local Starbucks.  Today is my second visit to this cafe.  I found the store just as busy today as it was during my first visit in December.  Upon entering, I grabbed the first available table, which became available because someone was leaving as I came in.  The seating area was totally occupied.  As I was settling my things, a couple of women decided to leave.  I liked their table better than mine so I quickly gathered my things and moved.  I found that I would be sharing the table with one of their coffee cups.  It so irritates me that some people feel that it is perfectly okay for them to leave behind their trash for someone else to remove.  I find this kind of behavior as rude as that of those who feel that they are too good to either open doors for themselves or to say "thank you" when someone has opened it for them.  Unfortunately, I've found that most of the time it is a woman who behaves in this manner, but I've had a few men do the same.  I've taken to saying loudly "Thank you" or "Your Welcome" when this happens to me, however I'm not so sure that those words even register the way I want them to with the rude person.  I wonder what the truly appropriate response to that kind of behavior might be, a response that would "hit home".  By the way, not picking up your own trash comes in as #10 on the rude behaviors list at the site listed below.

After settling in, I went to the register to order my coffee.  Usually I order a Tazo China Green Tips tea, but today I took great risk in ordering a fully caffeinated Starbucks brewed coffee at 4:00 PM.  I ordered a Tall Blonde Roast, the latest addition to the Starbucks brewed coffee choices.  But Blonde Roast?  There is nothing blonde about this coffee.  How do they come up with these names?  What happened to light roast, mild roast, etc.?   Anyway, Blonde Roast in hand I headed to my table, along the way I noticed that a gentleman was leaving.  As I preferred his location, I confirmed that he was leaving.  "I'll take your table then.  I like it better.  Real estate in this cafe is a tightly held and valued commodity."  He said, "Yes.  It's ridiculous!"  I then noticed that his location was not as highly valued as I had thought, there was no outlet!  "Oh, there's no outlet." I said.  He replied, "The reason that I'm leaving.  It's ridiculous!"  Back to my first location I went.  Although, it was a bit chilly at my table,  I was sitting next to a window, I did like the view.  Just outside my window was Malley's Chocolates.  The store's window front and door were romantically decorated with red and pink roses, presents wrapped in heart paper and heart-shaped boxes of various sizes full of promises of candy for love, all under a red roses fabric valence.  It is truly an adorable store front.  Made me think of a couple of my favorite holiday movies SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and YOU'VE GOT MAIL.  Does that make Tom Hanks my favorite holiday actor?  Probably.  I can't wait to visit Malley's.   Such a happy little face!

INTERESTING ACTIVITIES:  It seems to me that this Starbucks is a favorite meeting place for people who need to study in groups.  There were multiple groups working together or people being tutored.  At the table beside me sat a man tutoring a young woman.  "Mr. Tutor" caught my attention the moment he came in, he had thin frizzy reddish blonde hair that he had painstakingly blown and hair sprayed to cover his bald spots and ears.  Yes, I said ears.  Perhaps in the winter he prefers a hair covering to ear muffs or a hat, both of which would mess with his hairdo.  He was a small man dressed in black pants, black turtle neck and black shirt with black wingtips.  Soon after he came in, a young woman came in and sat down at his table.  Before long he was helping the woman with Advanced Algebra.   I could hear him in his heavy Eastern European accent say things like, "I've told you this before.  What is this? A joke?"  She would simply giggle and proceed to give some excuse for her answer choice or poor work.   During the time that I sat like a hawk watching for better real estate, he tutored more than three students and took scheduling phone calls in-between sessions.  He was still working when I left several hours later.  Guess he's good.  And YES, I proudly listend in on the conversations around me.

Comfort Comments:  At this location there was a fireplace along one of the side walls.  It was positioned on top of a concrete platform that is just right height for relaxing your feet while you enjoy your drink sitting in a comfy leather arm chair.  There was a wide variety of seating options:  small two person cafe tables, two person bar tables, four person square tables and over-stuffed leather arm chairs.  I like the fact that the register and barista area is in the back of the store.  This arrangement allows the customer to be somewhat removed from the business and noise of the bar area.

Shop Critique:  There was only one condiments table and it is located at the back of the store by the bar area.

Employee Comments:  The employee who served me at the register was helpful and friendly.  Since the bar area and the condiments area are in the back of the store, I have not had the opportunity to observe the employees or the ongoing condition of the condiments table.   I did find the women's rest room clean and the condiments table clean and orderly when I ordered and when I left.  The cafe itself was clean, well except for that cup so rudely left on the table.

Pick of the Week:  Madi Diaz "Let's Go"
NEW (at least to me) at Starbucks:  Bookish Reading Club - I love this idea.  While on wifi at a Starbucks you can read books free online.  The books are available for a limited time, but while available you can read and participate in discussion with other readers.  How cool is that?!!  I love it.    Marvel Digital Comics  What fun!

Interesting/Entertaining: 
http://www.starbucks.com/
http://www.propermanners.delphireview.com/rude-behavior-in-public.html
http://www.malleys.com/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108160/  Sleepless in Seattle
http://youvegotmail.warnerbros.com/
http://www.woodmerevillage.com/

Starbucks - Cleveland Heights, Ohio (Cedar and Fairmount)

Okay, this has got to be the very best Starbucks Coffee Shop that I've ever visited.  I decided to spend my afternoon in this Starbucks simply because I liked the picture that I saw of the building while googling Cleveland area Starbucks.  Upon arrival, I realized that I would have to use metered parking on the street in front of Starbucks.  Now maybe there was free parking available, but being unfamiliar with the area I just wasn't sure and didn't want to drive around looking for it. After I paid the meter, quarter/30 minutes, I headed in with my low expectations in hand.  Low expectations that were directly related to the fact that I had to pay for parking.  I hate paying for parking, it just sorta puts me in a bad frame of mind.  Spoiled child of the burbs, I guess. Or just one of my "they tax us to death" pet peeves. 

Cleveland Heights
Cedar and Fairmount

Once I was inside of the shop all of my bad feelings dissolved.  I felt like I had entered a ski lodge.  On my right was a fireplace with seating all around it.  Of course, I headed straight away for one of the over-stuffed leather chairs facing the fire.  Once settled in with my Tazo Venti China Green Tips tea, I started checking out the rest of the shop.  The place was packed with people reading or working on their laptops.  Most people were alone.  I started to feel like I was in a college student center.  Matter-of-fact, I was probably within a mile or two of Case Western Reserve University.  I'm sure that that must account for the "student" feel of the shop.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself inside this Starbucks Coffee Shop.  Prior to coming, I had been ice skating, so I was a bit chilled from that and it was a cold Cleveland day.  There is nothing like a fire to warm one, even if it is all just a mental pleasure. 

COMFORT COMMENTS:  This has to be one of the most comfortable Starbucks that I've visited.  The choice of seating was pretty amazing.  There were over-stuffed cloth chairs, over-stuffed leather chairs, leather couch, bench couch along one wall with tables, window bar with bar stools, and tables with regular dining chairs.  The main seating area was carpeted, which I loved.  As mentioned above, there was a fireplace with fire burning that was on a raised ceramic tile platform.  Several people seated around the fireplace had their feet propped up on the platform.  People were so comfortable that one man had taken his shoes off to gain more comfort.  Because I had parked in the one hour limit metered parking, I had to leave way before I felt like leaving.  I will definitely visit this Starbucks again and again once I reside in Cleveland.

SHOP CRITIQUE:  Very clean, even the carpet in the main dining area was clean.  Plenty of room for customer comfort and for the service area.  I really liked the service area, which had a glass shelving wall displaying coffee products and Starbucks products.  The restroom was clean.  I hope that the Cherry Hill Starbucks has put in one of the user friendly trashcans that all the other Starbucks seem to have in their restrooms.  I noticed that employees cleaned the condiments bar while I was in the shop.

EMPLOYEE COMMENTS:  I was seated in such a way that I could not observe the employees nor hear their conversations. 

HELPFUL/INTERESTING WEB-SITES:
www.starbucks.com
www.case.edu
www.tazo.com
www.clevelandheights.com

Starbucks - Cleveland Heights, Ohio



Rockefeller Center Building
Built 1930 by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

This has to be one of the most interesting buildings to house a Starbucks Coffee.  At least I can say that I have never been in a Starbucks located in a more beautiful building.  Well that is if you leave out the Forbidden City Starbucks in China, which no longer exisit.  I just love the outside of this building.  You can just see the Starbucks logo and the green window awnings.  I had walked over to the shop after spending an hour or so on the ice at the Cleveland Heights Recreational Center just a block away.  It was such a cold day, my hands were freezing by the time I reached the shop and was certainly looking forward to my hot green tea.  Before I entered, I noticed that the windows of this Starbucks were not for the customers to use to gaze upon the foot and auto traffic, but for the foot traffic to gaze upon the art of local school children.  Very interesting and different.

Once settled into the purple, yes, purple over-stuffed chair, I used my the heat coming off my Venti Tazo China Green Tips tea to warm my hands.  Something about sitting in a royal purple chair just made me feel happy.  After a quick warm up, I started my soldier's letter.  While writing, I noticed a mural on the wall that featured the face of Michael Jordan.  Now, I've never seen a mural in any Starbucks Coffee or any pictures  that feature sports stars or celebrities.  My curiousity getting the better of me, I sought out one of the employees hoping to solve the mystery.  I was told that at one time Michael Jordan and Starbucks had worked together to promote urban coffee houses, which was also the reason for the display of children's art in the front windows.  However, Jordan and Starbucks no longer are working together.

COMFORT COMMENTS:  How could you not enjoy PURPLE over-stuffed chairs?  This shop is small with limited "comfy" seating.  There were at least four tables with chairs, which were never all occupied at one time.

SHOP CRITIQUE:  The shop was clean.  Employees cleaned the condiments during my visit.  The uni-sex bathroom was clean with working soap dispenser.

EMPLOYEE COMMENTS:  The employees were always busy.  At one point one of the employees was singing with the music, which I enjoyed.   Singing employee - a happy employee,  happy employee - happy shop, happy shop - happy customers!

STARBUCKS SINGLE OF THE WEEK:  "Where Not to Look for Freedom" - The Belle Brigade

Starbucks - Moorestown, New Jersey

This to me is an unusual Starbucks Coffee, because, as you can see, there is no huge Starbucks sign on the building or stand-up sign on the sidewalk in front of the building. Only the Starbucks round logo is visible to the public. I like that, especially in this historical town. Moorestown had its beginnings in the Quaker community in the 1600s, serving as the home to the Lenni Lenape Native American Indians prior to that time. It is a quaint New Jersey town that was ranked number one in Money magazine's 2005 list of best places to live in America.



Main Street - Moorestown, New Jersey



The people who live within walking/biking distance of Main Street have a public library, post office, churches, multiple small restaurants, coffee shops, several small clothing and toy stores and a convenience store.  The Quaker Moorestown Friends School is located in the heart of downtown.  It offers a thrift shop and various student activities such as plays, concerts and sporting events to the community.  The only amenity that I feel this town is missing is a decent sized grocery store.  For many years, there was an Acme Grocery across from the Friends School, but it has moved to a new location that is no longer within walking distance.

After parking my car in the lot behind one set of stores along Main Street, I made a quick walk to Starbucks.  I like visiting American towns where I leave my car and walk.  I enjoy the window shopping that this allows me.  It was a cold windy February day.  I was looking forward to my hot tea and a cozy seat. 

Now, I've been to this Starbucks Coffee many times before, but never with the goal to "check" the place out.  I was planning as I entered the shop to sit at a window seat.  I do love to watch the outside foot traffic.  Unfortunately, this Starbucks has limited windows.  The one that faces the sidewalk is too small for a window bar with seating, there is only a small round table and, of course, it was taken.  Although there were two over-stuffed chairs to my left, I decided to check out the back of the store hoping that a leather couch or more comfy chairs would be available.  Nope.  Only tables in the back.  I return to the front and take the over-stuffed chair that is not occupied.  After ordering my Venti Tazo China Green Tips tea, I settled in to write my soldier's letter.  I found myself constantly distracted by the customers.  There was a steady stream of young teen aged groups coming in, taking advantage of their President's Day holiday by hanging out at the local Starbucks.  Because the only tables of four were located directly across from me, this afforded me the opportunity to watch the funny, innocent flirting activities between the boys and girls.   There is something very nice about Starbucks Coffee being the local coffee shop.  It certainly gives this Starbucks a hometown feel.  Many people came in and greeted other customers or the staff making it clear to me that they knew each other. 

COMFORT COMMENTS:  Had it not been for the hometown feel that the customers gave this Starbucks Coffee, I am not sure that I would have many positive things to say about the interior.  It had more of an industrial feel with few windows that were either too small or located too high up to provide the customer with much outside gazing.  With only two comfy chairs, I was lucky to secure one for myself.  However, this Starbucks did have outdoor seating, which is always nice.  And even as cold as it was, two different groups of people used the outside chairs and tables.

SHOP CRITIQUE:   Finally a Starbucks Coffee that gets the clean "stamp" in the bathroom, for the floor and the condiments table.   There was a fully functioning soap dispenser in the ladies' room with no puddles on the floor. Maybe I should start sticking my head in the men's room just to see if they are receiving good treatment.  Staff tidied up the condiments table twice while I was in the shop. 

EMPLOYEE COMMENTS:  I liked the way the employees listened to my drink requests:  first, my one bag in, one bag out; then my, single shot espresso in a eight oz. cup.  But, you know, I've come to just expect that from my Starbucks employees, they are all good listeners. 

STARBUCKS SINGLE OF THE WEEK:  Lia Ices "Love Is Won"

HELPFUL/INFORMATION WEB-SITES:
*www.moorestown.com
*www.mfriends.org
*www.soldiersangels.org
*www.tazo.com
*www.starbucks.com
*www.myspace.com/liaices
And just for fun *www.girl.com.au



Starbucks - Commack, Long Island, New York

Another Starbucks Coffee with a drive-thru!

I have never been one to ever run into Starbucks Coffee, order then take off. So, these drive-thrus are just beyond me. From the early 90s when I visited my first Starbucks outside of Seattle, which was in Houston, I've loved the Starbucks Coffee shops. Not only are most painted in colors that I find soothing, but most also have furniture in arrangements that beg me to stick around.

Throw in the music and I'm more than happy to settle in.

This Starbucks Coffee is quite large inside. I headed immediately to the leather couch to stake out my claim. That being done, I placed my order, "Venti China Green Tips, one bag in, one bag out please." I decided to tweak my order just to see what response I would get. The barista didn't miss a beat. She simply asked me if I would like for her to give me the bag or put it into a cup. It felt really good to have someone listen to me and to hear me. It seems that we communicate with one another more now than ever via phones, cell phones, email, texting, etc. Yet so many people say that they feel like no one listens to them. We're all too distracted. Maybe this is the real service and free gift that Starbucks gives its customers. Not only do they listen, but they hear us. Could this be why people are willing to run in, run out or go through the drive-thru passing up the comfortable seating? Being heard, whether ordering a drink, expressing an opinion or saying 'I love you', makes us feel connected and valuable. With my renewed sense of value, I organized myself on the couch and began my soldier's letter. I wondered if my soldier would enjoy 'listening' to me as he read my thoughts on the importance of listening.

Enjoying this Starbucks Coffee with me were several people reading, a group of people having a meeting, a few people working on their computers and a couple of men sitting at a table playing with what appeared to be their new fancy cell phones. I was so entertained by them that I found myself meeting one of the gentlemen eye to eye a couple of times. At one point, he raised up the newspaper that they were photographing with their phone cameras in order to hide his face as he spoke to the other gentleman. I cracked a smile. He just didn't appreciate how lucky he was, someone was listening!

COMFORT COMMENTS: Larger than most Starbucks Coffee shops that I've been in, this shop has a leather couch with a coffee table and two small side tables, four over-stuffed chairs with a foot stool at one of them, two computer tables with a free standing floor lamp at one of the tables, multiple round tables and a small alcove with two more over-stuffed chairs. There were so many good choices of seating that I was almost driven to try them all. I especially liked the the warm touch that two oriental rugs provided. It seemed to me that customers liked using the free standing floor lamp. It put out a nice soft lighting for the computer table. As you can see in the photo, this Starbucks Coffee has many large windows. Most of the windows had pull down shades which the customers could and did use as needed. Besides the floor lamp and oriental rugs, another unusual item in this Starbucks was a large screen TV that displayed the title and artist of the music that was being played. I loved that and found myself using it a couple of times. Nice! I've never mentioned this in previous blogs, but Starbucks gives away cards for a free song from I-tunes each week. This program is called Pick of the Week. Although I do not use the cards myself, I do send them to my soldiers in their letters. I sent a couple to my daughter when she was studying in Venice, Italy. She gave me a thumbs up for doing that.

SHOP CRITIQUE: I found this shop to be very clean except for the condiments table. When I came in the condiments table was messy with sugar, milk spills and paper. After two hours of being in the shop, I noticed a customer ask for more creamer. An employee carried more creamer to the condiments table, but did not tidy-up the table. It was still messy when I left. I've noticed that this seems to be a problem in all the Starbucks that I've been to so far. Is this because the employees get busy behind the counter and just forget or do they not see it as a problem? I don't know, but I don't like the way it looks and Starbucks shouldn't either. I found the women's restroom to be very clean and neat. Not only was there a user friendly trashcan but a soap dispenser that actually works leaving no puddle on the floor. Although most of the windows had pull down shades, the front windows did not. I had to adjust my seating due to the heat and brightness of the morning sun.

EMPLOYEE COMMENTS: I found the employee that served me to be friendly and efficient. Other than that it was difficult to watch or inter-act with the employees due to the size of the shop.

HELPFUL/INFORMATIONAL WEB-SITES:

www.soldiersangels.org

www.starbucks.com

www.ehow.com/how_6055026_listen-other.html