A Descriptive Essay on Starbucks Coffee Shop

The rich aroma of coffee and coffee beans that wafts in the Starbucks coffee shop pleasantly hits your nose when you open the shop’s wooden gates. These wooden gates welcome you into a warm, cozy atmosphere with exposed stone bricks and squeaky wooden floors. The air is filled with happy murmurs, laughter here, a shriek there, and of course the sound of coffee presses and coffee brewers. Employees in green aprons work swiftly to ensure that the best and fastest service is provided to their customers.

I skim through the list of drinks on the wall behind the bar that range from Cappuccino to Frappuccino, caffè Latte to caffè Mocha to name but a few. I do this as routine since I already know what to order- caramel macchiato, tall size.

One of the five baristas at the cash register takes my order, and I move over to the next counter receipt in hand to get my coffee. Afterwards, I walk over to my favorite seat that is next to the life-size glass window. My favorite feature of this Starbuck shops from others I have visited is its ample space, warm lighting, wooden ceilings, and rustic furniture. The paintings in the shop make it feel less like a shop and more of an art exhibition. The ability of the coffee shop to create a tranquil space in the hustle and bustle of modern city life makes it the ideal relaxing spot for most Americans.

My favorite Starbucks is in Stamford, Connecticut. I usually visit it at the least- busiest hours, from 3 to 5 pm. The shop is on the corner of Summer Street and Broad Street, and its entrance is to the left of the public library. I love coming in at this hour since the services are more personal due to the less traffic. Everyone seems happier and is in a slower as compared to mornings and noon.

Many patrons prefer sitting on the velvet chairs that face the window since this position provides a magnificent voyeuristic view of pedestrians on the footway. Many of the patrons in the shop belong to the working-class and choose to have their lunches and meetings there. Due to its proximity to the main public library, this coffee shop is frequented by serious readers, college students, and of course book lovers.

On this particular day, Saturday, the 15th of September, I decide to observe the customers and eavesdrop on their conversations while feigning to write notes on my paper. I take an interest in two middle-aged gentlemen who are holding an animated discussion on stocks; each is having a regular black coffee. One of the men is in an ash-gray suit while the other is dressed in an immaculate double-breasted navy-blue suit. I cannot see their shoes since the furniture is in the way, but I can guess that they must be wearing expensive Italian, leather shoes.

I take a swig of my coffee and approach them. They immediately stop talking and watch me moving closer to them. I introduce myself and explain that I have a class project that they may assist me with. The guy in the navy-blue suit looks at his watch and says, “Sure”. They explain to me that they visit this shop five to eight times a week. They work close by, at TD Bank, and find it convenient to hold meetings, lunches, and coffees at this establishment. I ask them why and they state that it is mainly due to proximity to their work, friendly customer service, and of course, the best black regular coffee.

After the interview, I decided to ask another group of people in the shop about their coffee culture and why they visited the coffee shop. AS I looked around, two young African American ladies walked in, looked around to see if they would get seats next to the window, and then disappointedly sat next to a dark long wooden table. Two of them took out their laptops while one went to order their drinks and snacks. I approached them and asked them similar questions to my first interviewees.

They told me that they studied in the University of Connecticut-Stamford and were not from the area. This was the first Starbucks they stumbled upon during orientation and have been visiting it since then. They informed me that this was a relaxing spot for most of their schoolmates since it had a warm ambience and numerous electrical outlets for charging one’s gadgets.

Regarded as a U.S. subculture, coffee is among the highest consumed commodities in the nation. More than fifty-five percent of Americans state that they require a cup of coffee to start their day on the right note. According to the National Coffee Association, the average American consumes about 3.1 cups of coffee in a day (NCA’s National Coffee Drinking Trends Interactive Platform). The long lines at Starbucks coffee shops can attest to this.

Coffee in America is decidedly a flavor for all, and a style for all lifestyles. Many people socialize over a cup of coffee and coffee is used as a stimulant for workers during their breaks. Students can be found lounging in coffee shops around campus, and you are likely to see three or four people holding coffee cups along the sidewalk. American cars are also designed with coffee-cup holders! The leading coffee shop in America, Starbucks, has revolutionized the coffee-shop scene by making branding and marketing on one of America’s cultures. The brand states that it provides more than coffee and is more than just a brand in the coffee industry, but a sociocultural statement for Americans.

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