With brief, occasional, italicized and sometimes gratuitous commentary…
• Mashed reports that Starbucks is planning to open one of its Starbucks Reserve stores in the Empire State Building next month.
It will be the third Reserve store in New York City, and the story points out that "Starbucks Reserve locations are more upscale than traditional Starbucks stores, and depending on the location, they can contain cocktail bars, an expanded baked goods selection, and coffee drinks you won't find on the menu at any other typical Starbucks."
This lease probably has been baked into Starbucks' plans for a long time, but I cannot help but think the company would be better served by focusing to a greater degree on how to make its mainstream stores more relevant and resonant. That's the real problem - not that there aren't enough Reserve stores in the fleet.
