"After roughly 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, I sat with my laptop outside a Starbucks in West Palm Beach. It seemed like a little thing, but when I realized how long I had been surviving off of drive-thru and pickup, I started to cry. Writing at Starbucks, or sometimes local coffee chains, had been part of my routine for years. It was something I did multiple times a week, often enough that I knew the staff and many of the regulars."
"But once pandemic restrictions were lifted, despite my emotional response that day, I cut far back on how often I used Starbucks and its rivals as a home away from home. That's something new Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol wants to change. Niccol envisions Starbucks returning to its core, once again becoming a "third place" in addition to work and home."
"In each conversation, two truths emerged: First, Starbucks is a beloved brand with wonderful people. We are woven into the fabric of people's lives and the communities we serve. Second, there's a shared sense that we have drifted from our core. We have an opportunity to make the store experience better for our partners and, in turn, for our customers," he said in an open letter to employees."
After roughly 15 months of COVID-19 lockdowns, a person sat outside a Starbucks and cried upon realizing prolonged reliance on drive‑thru and pickup. Frequent visits to Starbucks and local coffee shops had formed a routine, with familiarity among staff and regulars. Once restrictions lifted, the person sharply reduced using Starbucks as a home away from home. New Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol launched a listening tour and found the brand beloved yet perceived as drifted from its core. Niccol aims to improve the in‑store experience to restore connection, joy, and community gathering functions, referencing the "third place" concept and welcoming founder Howard Schultz on stage.
Read at Merced Sun-Star
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