Starbucks Generation

I visited the new Starbucks in Rathmines.  It was about 10.30am and it was full of schoolgirls.  When I was in school we were not allowed out of the school building during school time.  There was no Starbucks in Ireland and even if there was, I wouldn't have known the difference between an Espresso and an Americano!  I didn't drink tea or coffee when in school and I had no interest in spending my time lolling around coffee shops!

Here are pics of this new Starbucks store.  

It's big and spacious but perhaps with too many hard surfaces.  This is probably done purposefully to discourage guests from sitting over a coffee all day in Starbucks.  Having been in many Starbucks around Dublin, I can't say that the decor in this one is to my taste or makes me comfortable enough to want to visit regularly.

There used to be a Starbucks in Ranelagh (which is next to Rathmines), maybe about 4 years ago.  It was closed down when the CEO did a worldwide cull of the less profitable shops.  This morning the Rathmines Starbucks is busy, I'd say it will be successful given it's location at the entrance to the Swan Centre and next to McDonalds.

A few doors away is Alan Hanna's bookshop one of the few true independents left in Dublin.  About a month ago it opened a coffee shop in the bookstore - it can't be happy to see Starbucks open so close.