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| - I've been to hundreds of Starbucks locations, in a dozen countries. Hand on heart here, I'm not exaggerating.
THIS location is the THE best Starbucks location I have ever been to, in twenty years of hanging with the green mermaid.
Some locations like the one in downtown Ann Arbor have an wicked "lower level" where students can hang out. There's a location in West Virginia where everyone behind the counter is singing. I've paid $12 for a Latte in Bern. I've seen angry baristas arguing in front of customers; I've seen smooth baristas work under immense pressure (and constant flirtation) in the middle of a Pride Parade; I've even seen the lead singer for the Cranberries introduce herself to the guy who starred in the Austin Powers movies over tea.
Nope. This location is the best of them all.
The service here is way, way better than average. To a person, there is a consistent and persistent commitment to friendliness that, even by Starbucks's standards, is superb.
All the other stuff is strong, too. The store is always clean, it's spacious, the Wifi is good, the condiment bar is located perfectly, it has a drive-thru and a generous parking lot, there's a patio that gets lots of summer sunshine, it's right by a bicycle path that goes to the beach, accessibility is good for people on four wheels, -and- it has three private bathrooms.
But it all comes back to that service. Whoever's running this store, frankly, should be doing something bigger than running a coffee shop, because it's clear that they have a knack for instilling joy in people around them. That's a powerful skill.
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