Upon entrance into any SB store of choice, you will hear festive jazz music drift into your ears, a wonderful coffee aroma will dance under your nose, and a friendly barista will take your order any way you like it.
These are my top 10 experiences pertaining to Starbucks. Choose your favorite or tell us about one of yours.
(NOTE: The 2 images featuring Tracy & I were snapped in the year 2005... which can explain the difference in our appearance!)1. One day about 3 years ago I drove through a Starbucks drive-through. This was in the Spring of 06 shortly after I obtained an internship w/Caterpillar and was working there in communications. I ordered my usual and when I pulled up to the window to obtain my drink, the friendly girl there started chatting away with me.
"Hi!" she said.
"Hi," I returned.
"How are you today?"
"I'm good!"
"Great-- what are you doing in life right now?"
"Well, I'm going to ISU and will be graduating in a year, and right now I have an internship at Caterpillar in communications. I also have a small design business."
At this, the girl looked out at me with a sincere smile, and reached her hand out, saying, "Wow, that's great. I am SO proud of you."
2. *(Note, to anyone who reads my blog word-for-word, you may have already heard this story. For anyone else-- and that's likely MOST of you-- enjoy.)
Once I was in Arizona, one of my favorite states =), and I was visiting-- you guessed it-- a Starbucks. I was waiting in line to order my coffee and for some reason I was also eating a banana. The lady behind me smiled and said,
"That banana looks SO good, I just want to take a bite right out of it!"
Cute. I smiled at her.
"You know, I used to work at film festivals in Hollywood," she went on to tell me, "and instead of Coke breaks in the middle of a long day, they would have 'banana breaks!'"
3. Starbucks always has the best stuff on sale. Such as really cool games and books, coffee mugs and music. I once saw a book there that I thought that I had to have... I just love unique books w/lots of great quotes and random facts & knowledge... but that was awhile ago and I forget what it was called. And I never bought it.
It was a cool book, trust me.
4. Starbucks is a great place for meeting a good friend to catch up. One of my favorite friends to meet over coffee is Tricia P, and we have done so many times. She is actually a SB veteran... she used to work there and served up many cups of coffee!
5. When I worked at a publishing company in Peoria for a year (07-08), I am pretty sure I kept the Starbucks on the corner of Knoxville and Pioneer Parkway in business. I would go there on average twice a week. In fact, often on nice days I would take my sack lunch there and eat outside on the patio tables and order a shaken iced tea lemonade (highly recommended!) to accompany my food. Also, my mornings were early. I had to be at work by 7am, so they saw me a lot at my best time of day- 6:50 am (not).
6. About a month ago, I was driving through the Starbucks in Pekin. I ordered my drink, and when I pulled up to get it, the guy working gave me a big smile. "How are you today?" he asked.
"I'm good. How about you?"
"Oh- you know. Just living the dream."
I smiled. "For some, it IS a dream," I told him. "In fact, for me-- it is. I've always wanted to work at Starbucks..."
I forget what his response was but I imagine it was something close to, "You would be the best Starbucks barista in the world."
(Ok... it probably wasn't. Had it been, I would've asked for an application right then and there.)
7. Once I was coming home from Peoria and I was on my way to a friend's house. I stopped to grab a Starbucks and I ordered my usual. When I pulled around to get it, the friendly face at the window told me, "We accidentally made this for a previous customer who wanted something different," she said, holding up a large caramel frappuccino. "Would you like it?"
I said yes.
8. Starbucks features "The Way I See It" quotes on their cups. I love this.
9. A year ago I was staying with my aunt & uncle during the Spring. It was a Sunday morning and we were getting ready for church. Around here (at home), Sunday mornings are just hectic because I usually sleep too late and then I'm rushing around to get ready.
Well, I was doing something close to the same and my uncle walks in and hands me a cup of coffee from Starbucks. He had gone on an early morning coffee run and remembered the exact hot drink that is my favorite from a few days before.
I don't know why this was such a big deal to me but it just was. I love small little acts of kindness like this... just know if you are the one handing me a cup of coffee during a busy morning rush, I'll be REALLY happy you did. =)
10. Need a coffee? On the road? Have no fear... there should be a Starbucks strategically placed on a city corner w/i the next 10 miles.
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As much as I love coffee, I will note that just like everything else in life, it is best enjoyed in moderation. =) Too much coffee makes the heart beat faster and knocks off quality sleep.
Love you all!
T
5 comments:
I must admit, I'm a SB junkie as well. Fav drink, well that would be a venti skinny vanilla latte w/ an extra shot of espresso.
I think my infatuation is more with the coffee than the overall experience, but I do enjoy their atmosphere the most of any shop I've petitioned.
Oh, and when it comes to coffee, I'm not too good at that whole moderation thing.....but maybe that because I don't have any sleep issues either. Hmm.
Geesh Taryn- now all I can think about is Starbucks and how good it sounds right now. May just have to do my grocery shopping in P-town this am. The kids will LOVE that I'm sure.
Hey! I also love SB. I use to buy one a day; it also helped with my workday.. so my favorite memories are the fact that they knew me by name at different locations & in different cities (not at the same time). I also love that they would give me free drink cards if they took too long to make my drink & frequently they would make a wrong drink & give it to me to take home to Luke :). Great post. Love, J
TK - I was at a the Starbucks by Grand Prairie and my mom, Heather and my sister were shopping at Gordmans. I felt horrible and I went to get my well-loved Chai Tea and when I got to the window the lady asked if i was meeting people and she said she was waiting for a nice person to drive up and she gave me 4 vanilla bean frappuccinos! It made my day.
I posted this on my blog, so if you've read it friend, i apologize!
Well I hate to rain on anybody's parade, but I just am not a Starbucks person. I don't do coffee in general. I always kinda wish I did though. It seems cooler than ordering a pepsi when I want a drink. Maybe someday when I grow up I'll like me a good cup of coffee.
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