Store Design

Sustainable design is part of who we are and what we do.

Our coffee comes directly from the earth so we naturally take an interest in treating it well. We strive to reduce the impact our stores have on the environment and this commitment influences almost every aspect of how we approach design and construction, including landscape, building methods, materials, lighting and more.

We believe a coffeehouse should be a welcoming, inviting and familiar place for people to connect, so we design our stores to reflect the unique character of the neighborhoods they serve. We are also interested in the way design can connect us all to sustainable building practices and provoke thoughtful questions and engagement with the built environment. In addition to reducing energy and water consumption, we incorporate reused and recycled materials wherever possible and often use locally inspired design details and materials in our stores.

To guide our efforts, we use the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED? certification program as a benchmark for success. (LEED is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.) We started our LEED certification globally for all new, company-owned stores beginning in late 2010 and with over 1,200 certified stores in 20 countries/US territories, it has grown into a successful green building program, worldwide.

Starbucks design studios are located around the globe so that our designers can fully understand the communities they serve. The mission of each designer is to create a spectacular Starbucks café experience that is steeped in the local culture and designed to reflect the unique characteristics of each neighborhood. Together, we are fully committed to our goal of creating sustainably designed, locally relevant stores that inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.