Davis Sq Starbucks gut-renovation??

[billharnois.livejournal.com]

Anyone know why they're gut-renovating this place? I always thought it was one of the nicer interiors in the square.

Comments

[ron_newman]

No idea -- I also thought it looked quite nice the way it was. A sign on the door last week said they will reopen on Friday 1/29.

[jere7my.livejournal.com]

Aha! Is that why it's impossible to find a seat in Diesel these days?

[ifotismeni]

these days? always...

[infinitemorning.livejournal.com]

When has it EVER been possible, or at least probable, to find a seat in Diesel?

[jere7my.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I go two or three times a week, and I've never had trouble, but I generally show up around suppertime; maybe that's off-peak?

[upsidown.livejournal.com]

Monday mornings when the students are not out of bed yet.

[teko.livejournal.com]

That surprised me this morning, too. The place is completely gutted, indeed -- the floor torn up, the walls removed.

The manager of that Starbucks told me once that even though they're one of the highest-traffic stores in the area, Starbucks HQ doesn't consider them a 'high priority' store because of their 'traffic flow layout'. My only guess is that they're changing the whole store design for better traffic flow. Maybe we'll get a Clover machine, even!

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

What, are they going to install a rotary or something?

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

Maybe we'll get a Clover machine, even!

hopehopehope

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

Is that the spiffy coffee maker? It is my understanding that they will be getting one of those.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they have them at the Harvard Sq and Memorial Drive locations, and they make really damn fine coffee. It costs about 50c - 75c more than drip, but you can get a cup made of any coffee Starbucks carries, including some really pricey high-quality beans. The employees seem to really enjoy using the thing, too... and it's fun to watch it brew.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

And you can get a nice fresh cup of decaf any time, if that's your thing.

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

For those of you who don't know what a Clover is, check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntbVGGMu_Ac

Looks pretty cool

Could be a long shot

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Maybe it has something to do with this (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/business/21sbux.html?em)...

Re: Could be a long shot

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

That's interesting. I don't think I'd mind that kind of renovation.

Re: Could be a long shot

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Me either. Especially if they keep the fireplace.

Re: Could be a long shot

[billharnois.livejournal.com]

the fireplace looks like the only thing they did keep

Re: Could be a long shot

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Perhaps they are gonna make it more like the one in Harvard Sq... Not sure I like the new style...

[taxine.livejournal.com]

They remodel their stores every 7-10 yeears to update it. It's pretty standard for the company.

[greenlily.livejournal.com]

Starbucks stores in metro Boston have been getting a facelift across the board. The wood-brick-stained glass design aesthetic is apparently a thing of the past.

I can understand ditching the armchairs and carpets; given the expense and inconvenience involved in cleaning them, I was kind of surprised they didn't constitute a health violation to begin with. Maybe the same issue has contributed to the demise of the wood floors. I'm going to miss the brick walls and glass teardrop lights, though.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

I notices that the glass lights are carefully lined up by the window. I wonder if they're still planning to use them.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

ditching the armchairs and carpets

Nooooooooooooo

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

Didn't the article mention second-hand furniture? I wonder what happened to the couch that used to be in the Someday.

[unferth.livejournal.com]

I believe it evolved sapience and is currently on the run from the Center for Disease Control.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

I'm praying that someone put a stake through its heart, burned it, and then salted the ground it lay on... just to ensure it won't come back. I can live a long time without the memory of the unique combination of pee and mold wafting into my nostrils, thank you.

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

I'm no retail wizard or anything, but some re-organizing would probably help them process their customers better. The line, while not unbearable, would probably flow better if they had a wider counter or something.

As long as they still have their ragtag crew of cute baristas I'll be happy.

Rebound

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

It is part of their rebound plan - to break out of the "cookie cutter" chain decor model and customize each store to its specific locale.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/business/21sbux.html?em

Wonder if they will have a motorcycle... ;-)

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

Apparently they're changing the seating to add more group tables? The manager said everything except the fireplace was being replaced.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Ooh. This could be a good thing.

[c011een.livejournal.com]

when i walked by yesterday, the work crew all had dunkin donuts coffee. it brought a smile to my face.

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

I asked one of the baristas last week and she said it had simply been eleven? some similar number? of years since the place had been renovated and they were giving it a whirl.

Lamp shades look like they're staying and as long as they put some comfy chairs next to the fireplace I'll be happy as a clam. If I survive the withdrawal, DD is not exactly inducive to working somewhere that isn't my home office.

[ron_newman]

Sounds about right. This says that Diesel opened in 1999, and I recall that Starbucks opened right around the same time. This led to fears that Starbucks would put the brand-new local out of business, but fortunately that didn't heppen.

[haptotrope.livejournal.com]

It was two years after diesel opened that starschmucks opened.

I'm sure its just trying to make itself more appealing to the indivudualists -- or maybe just to give the place a serious clean-up --

[ron_newman]

Mr. Crepe closed for four days of renovations a couple of weeks ago, but didn't look any different after they reopened.

BTW, Sacco's Bowl-Haven is also temporarily closed for renovation (and new owners) right now.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wondered about that -- it looks exactly the same!

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

But now they bring out silverware with your crepe instead of making you get your own from the counter! :)

[jodi.livejournal.com]

this makes me suspect that the renovations were not cosmetic but had something to do with code/inspection issues. if a picky health inpector says the forks can't go there, this counter needs 2 more inches off the ground, and this wall needs to be rewired...well, customers probably won't notice when things get changed.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

Huh. I was being flippant, assuming it was a coincidence, but your suspicions make a lot of sense. Well, I'm all in favor of more code-compliant crepes.

[svilletheatre.livejournal.com]

Wow, you guys are terrible - this is how bogus internet rumors start, and that crap effects peoples jobs, etc. Geez!

Mr Crepe had to re-sand and re-poly their beautiful wood floors which were beat up from tables and chairs. They also repainted all of their walls and their ceiling HVAC unit had to be re-mounted, which was a huge project as it is bolted into the ceiling structure.

[csbermack.livejournal.com]

I thought it looked different! But I couldn't put my finger on it, and decided it was just that the walls had no art.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the inside info! (and I still like having my fork brought to me.)

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

I was told they are putting in a bunch of leather chairs, moving the group tables around and getting rid of the plush chairs in front of the fireplace, and putting some group tables there.

I go there quite a bit to read in the winter because I love the "ski lodge" feel, I'm bummed there won't be comfy chairs by the fireplace.

I saw you there a couple of times!

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Once, I even sat near you.

Re: I saw you there a couple of times!

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

You wish, now shut your creepy face.

Re: I saw you there a couple of times!

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

My face is not creepy at all...

Re: I saw you there a couple of times!

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

I'm not kidding. You're not funny, you don't know me, and you are being creepy. Back off. I'm done with this thread.

[genevra-mcneil.livejournal.com]

In addition to the poor flow-through, at least part of the reason is that the floors and the chairs were pretty worn out and grungy. They had to steam clean the floors every week because they were so old and those chairs, while fuzzy and comfy, SHOULD have been steam cleaned every week!

(One of the baristas once told me that the reason they keep the honey behind the counter is because there was a customer who used to take handfuls of the stuff and use it to... well, it's a decent lubricant, apparently. Not sure if it's true, but I never sat in those fuzzy chairs after hearing *that* story.)

I don't mind the leather chairs -- they are pretty comfy -- and I'm all for better flow and more seating. I heard there will be a long library table/bar for laptop users, which will free up two-top tables.

Like others, I'll be glad when 'Bucks reopens. I know it's not as hip, but Diesel is crowded and it's not really child friendly. I know that the funky vintage toys on the low shelves make it look cool and retro, but it's hard to keep your toddler from grabbing one as you walk by with your hands full. My daughter is old enough to know better now, but it's hard if we're hanging with moms with younger kids.

Plus, I miss my baristas who know my name and my drink.