I think this is beautifully done, right up my street, and full credit to Starbucks for breaking away from the usual soulless, dreary and corporate homogeneity of most other coffee chains. The Amsterdam Coffee Lab is the first of its kind for the company and is based upon a strategy to "create locally relevant stores that integrate local design in a sustainable way."
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Interesting details in the store's design include antique delft tiles, bicycle inner tube walls and 'Delfts blauw' murals.
All of the main fixtures in the cafe, including a 17m coffee bar and the huge communal table pictured top are constructed out of recycled Dutch oak. The chairs are salvaged from local schools and given a face lift.
Who cares if this is ultimately about selling more coffee and enhancing the Starbucks brand. It is unique and relevant to the local culture and will remain so however many more of these 'concept' stores Starbucks intend to roll out globally. That has to be encouraging news in the face of the terminally bland, and dying, high street found the length and breadth of the UK.
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