Attention, Starbucks fans in Chicago: You're in for a real treat come 2019.
I know it sounds like a long time away, but preparations are already underfoot for the new, interactive four-story, 43,000-square-foot Starbucks Reserve Roastery that is set to open up in Chicago, located on North Michigan Avenue and Erie Street on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, which sounds pretty magical.
Basically, the Chicago Roastery is going to bring customers a totally immersive and sensorial coffee experience; there will be multiple brewing methods offered, as well as specialty Reserve beverages and mixology.
This Chicago Roastery will mark the third Roastery location that Starbucks has in the U.S.; one is in Seattle as of 2014, and one will open up in New York City in 2018.
"Having opened our first Starbucks store in Chicago nearly 30 years ago, our first outside of Seattle, this is a very special city for me. At the time, it was a true test for Starbucks because the Chicago customer is so savvy and discerning about their coffee," Howard Schultz, Starbucks executive chairman, said in the company's press release.
"Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, so we took our time to find an incredible space to match the unprecedented coffee experience our premium Roastery will offer. To be located on one of the best-known retail streets in the world is a proud moment for all of us and we can’t wait to bring Chicago and the world a coffee experience worthy of their most premier real estate."
Starbucks is also hoping to eventually expand its Roastery locations, and plans on offering customers in international markets Roasterys, like the one in Shanghai, which will open in late 2017, and the ones in Milan and Tokyo, which are slated to open in 2018.
"Howard and I share the same passion for the companies we created, each centered around the customer experience and a relentless attention to detail. This building has a unique way of becoming a beacon for a brand, and I can’t think of a better retailer than Starbucks to offer Chicago something new and exciting with its Reserve Roastery," Gordon Segal, the founder of Crate and Barrel said in the press release.