The outside of Starbucks’ new Union Market location
Source: Starbucks
Starbucks has unveiled a new store design focused on accessibility and inclusion, with fresh lighting fixtures and open floor plans.
The coffee giant opened the primary location with the new design on Friday in Washington, D.C.’s Union Market.
“Designing for disabilities is just good design for everyone,” said Sara Trilling, president of Starbucks North America.
She added that designing a more accessible cafe took about two years and that the corporate solicited input from Starbucks baristas.
Starbucks designed the store to have an unobstructed path for patrons.
Source: Starbucks
The Union Market cafe has power-operated doors so customers can use less effort to enter the cafe. Once inside, they’ll place their orders with baristas using a new point-of-sale system that has an adjustable angle stand, voice assist, screen magnification and photos of menu items.
“Imagine any individual who doesn’t speak English as a first language, and also you’re attempting to be sure that that you simply’re getting [the order] right and providing great service. You will have a possibility through some visual cues to make those confirmations,” Trilling said.
The counters are also lower, making them more accessible for wheelchair users, for instance.
The store’s counters are lower, giving wheelchair users a higher experience.
Source: Starbucks
Behind the counter, Starbucks’ new Clover Vertica system for brewing drip coffee has a more accessible design, with a large dial and protruding buttons.
“You possibly can actually feel the settings by touch or using light to point when brewing cycles and other things have been accomplished,” Trilling said.
Starbucks’ new Clover Vertica brewing system features large dials and protruding buttons for easier use.
Source: Starbucks
Digital status boards show customers when their drinks are ready to select up, along with baristas calling out their names.
Starbucks also modified the store lighting to reduce glare, shadows and backlighting that could make it tougher to see. Insulation has been improved, too, so stores aren’t as noisy.
And Starbucks designed the general floor plan of the store to be freed from obstacles and to have open sightlines.
All future company-owned locations will follow a similar framework. Starbucks plans to open greater than 600 new stores this yr, increasing its U.S. footprint by 4%, including licensed locations.
The store’s lighting is softer, and insulation keeps noise levels lower.
Source: Starbucks
Constructing more accessible stores won’t be materially costlier than using current designs, in accordance with Trilling.
“I give it some thought as something that is going to assist us by way of customer connection. It’ll help us by way of worker engagement,” she said.