Did you know that Starbucks employs 151,000 people all over the world in countries from South Africa to New Zealand?
That’s more than twice the population of Greenland.
It seems that the average person can’t walk more than a few feet (or 170 miles, to be exact) without seeing that familiar green and white smiling siren, beckoning us in for a giant latte with a dash of sugar-free vanilla… and maybe an extra shot of espresso if we’re feeling particularly sluggish. Our go-to coffee is everywhere; from roadside drive-throughs off the interstate to the gift shop at the Louvre — just in case we need a pick-me-up before taking a peek at the Mona Lisa.
And while Starbucks locations share a certain aesthetic — dark wood paneling, trademark green accents, chic and comfortable seating for a true coffeehouse vibe — we can all admit that our Starbucks locations have a big box store, cookie-cutter feel to them. So when we find uniquely designed Starbucks stores from Singapore to Amsterdam, we get excited for the unusual. With innovative design, unique architecture that fits within the city's landscape, and unusual concepts, these are the Starbucks worth visiting.
From all corners of the globe, Starbucks has made an imprint on the global coffee scene. Check out these unique Starbucks locations around the globe — maybe it'll inspire your next travel itinerary when you're visiting these countries.
1. Covent Garden — London
(smira-fashion.com)
Like London itself, this Starbucks is cozy, yet posh. The outside of the store features an ornate stone façade with beautifully intricate gold detailing. The inside is decorated with playbills and memorabilia from the nearby London Coliseum.
2. Fuzhou — China
(Starbucks)
The beautiful wooden exterior of this location blends right in to the landscape of Fuzhou, one of China’s most beautiful ancient cities, but the inside is completely modern and features minimalist architecture and trendy graffiti art.
3. Hiranandani Business Park Starbucks — Mumbai
(Starbucks)
Talk about branding! When Starbucks opened its fourth Indian location in Powai, they did so in a flash of green light. The outside of this Starbucks features the company’s signature green in a neon light show that projects the siren logo right onto the front of the building.
4. The “Original,” Seattle
(Starbucks)
Okay, so the first Starbucks shut its doors and moved to Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1974, but it’s remained there ever since. This location has a cool retro vibe and latte enthusiasts can still buy mugs with the company’s original logo.
5. Swiss Passenger Train
(Flickr/Cyril Attias)
Jump aboard the Geneva-St. Gallen line and you can enjoy a Belgian Waffle or a cup of tom kha with your macchiato. Switzerland now has two separate Starbucks operating on its railway lines, and along with coffee, each spot also boasts gourmet food offerings. C’est chic.
See more of the world's most awesome Starbucks.
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