Starbucks opening in Madrid!!!

Posted by: replay

Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 03/30/02 05:01 PM

Madridman is here, and just today I could see a big banner advertising the inminent open of the ¿first? Starbucks coffee of Spain!!

It will be just under Palace hotel, the Planet Hollywood is at the right. I don´t know what is the cause of the Sturbucks fame, so I will try to find the answer to my doubt.

Bye!!
Posted by: Nuria

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 03/31/02 07:35 AM

Hi Replay, last week we were talking about this new American chain in Spain... just make a search and you'll see what I am talking about...
Nuria
Posted by: LostInMadrid

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 03/31/02 09:21 AM

Ooooh boy! I just had a thought! Does this Starbucks have muffins?!? Like real, soft blueberry or banana-nut muffins? I could kill for one of these... I don't care about the coffee. I never liked American watered-down coffee anyways and only started drinking coffee here in Spain. Con leche or a cortado and I'm a happy pup. But MUFFINS!!! Just the thought gets my mouth watering. You can buy frozen ones at the Taste of America, but I want fresh ones. Ooh, Cinnamon-Apple... I'd kill for a sugary cinnamon apple muffin.

Is it open now? Oooh, Ana and I feel like going for a paseo so we're going to go check it out now. It's a gorgeous Sunday afternoon here in Madrid - a bit chilly, but blue sky). We got married in the Palace (back when I had a job and money) so it'll be nice to go see Neptune again even if it's not open yet...

Muffins! Ohboyohboy!

-Russ
Posted by: LostInMadrid

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 03/31/02 10:12 PM

It's not open yet. It just says coming soon with no date or anything. No muffins for me.

waaaaahhhhhh....

We took a walk through the Botanical Garden though which was nice. I've been here 2 years and my wife's been here 14 years and it was the first time for the both us. Spring has sprung, yay!

-Russ
Posted by: toroloco

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/03/02 09:03 PM

starbucks in madrid...hahaha.....what i mean is the town is so full of wonderful cafes where you can secure the greatest cup of coffee for under a euro.....as for muffins, ever heard of magdalenas?
i know everyone here is not a spaniard so maybe that will help. starbucks latte = $3 to $4 US
cafe con leche local ambient cafe = 1 euro
bag of magdalenas caseras = 1,40 euro

btw i saw one opening next to VIPS on ortega y gasset near calle velazquez (Plaza de Salamanca area) please support your local cafes much better..
Posted by: LostInMadrid

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/03/02 09:52 PM

I've eaten zillions of magdalenas, they have nothing to do with a muffin except maybe their shape. The worst thing about magdalenas is they have the color of corn-muffins, but are made with wheat. Ugh. What I would do for a hot corn-muffin with butter right now. MMMMMMM.

I don't have an oven, by the way, so don't suggest making them. I would, if I could. Along with brownies, chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies, and more. Actually, I made fresh chocolate chip cookies this past Christmas for my wife and in-laws (we were spending the week at their house.) They all tried a bite, said "that's nice, let's save them for breakfast." BREAKFAST?!? WHAT?!? They're HOT from the oven now! Eat them NOW. Oof.

-Russ
Posted by: taravb

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/03/02 10:59 PM

My husband (who ADORES chocolate chip cookies!) just laughed and laughed at your post, LiM--not that there's anything WRONG with chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, of course--but really, who could resist WARM ones?

I'm thinking about your muffin dilemma--it seems to me there's a business possibility there--a little storefront, banana-chip and lemon-poppyseed muffins (for breakfast only)--mmm!! Madrileños would drop those churros like...hot churros!

Well, maybe not.

smile
Posted by: pim

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 02:48 AM

Hey LiM,

The "little culinary cultural shock" that you suffered last X-mas reminds me a little bit of my surprise when in Ohio, and for the first time, I was offered ice-cream for dessert a day in either January or February when it had been snowing for like a month and a half! eek

It's true, generally speaking, ice-cream for Spaniards usually means warm weather, and we only eat sweets like cookies for breakfast or at 'merienda' time.

BTW, while on the subject, I was also quite surprised to see people eating the uncooked dough of the chocolate chip cookies, and many people baking their own bread (very few people do it here these days). Also serving cake and ice-cream together was quite a new thing for me (until the arrival of American restaurants here), and the diferent shapes and flavors of doughnuts (here we only had Donuts back then) and my favourite thing....those cans of frozen natural orange juice, Hhmmmm!!!
Posted by: Chica

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 04:03 AM

LiM --

TALK TO ME! I make a mean loaf a bananna bread (with the mini chocolate chips to boot) every now and then. I have my whole Spanish family hooked on it. I have also made orange muffins. Maybe not quite as huge as the typical American coffee house ones...but all modesty aside, just as good.

Since I just got back from the states, I brought a couple of packs of brownie mix for my sister in laws to make (they are always bugging me to make them). I know...PACKAGED brownie mix. Oh well. I tried making them from scratch here, but the consistency did not come out the same. I guess I have to experiment a bit more with the oven, local ingredients and measurement conversions. :p

I also brought back a couple of boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix. Not as good as made from scratch, but will suffice when you need a quick fix. smile

I have made the chocolate chip cookies here, but they didn´t turn out right. I think it was due to the baking sheets. I used the Airbake sheets that someone gave me as a wedding shower gift...not the traditional baking sheets. Not that Airbake will mean much to you being a man without an oven (not a sexist remark! :p ). If any bakers out there know the secret to those Airbake sheets, please let me know!

PIM - Chocolate chip cookie dough is the best. There even exists an ice cream flavor of choco chip cookie dough. Frankly I think that´s a bit overboard...but there are some fans out there!

My mom did the bread baking thing when she had the whim to purchase a bread maker. That lasted ohhh about a month after which she got tired of cleaning the darned machine!

I much prefer any homebaked product over any product sold in any coffee shop including the giant cookies in Starbucks or the Magdalenas "in bags" ughhhh!
Posted by: Jo-Anne

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 04:08 AM

Hi Chica

So, all those people you are walking with at the weekend will be expecting special treats along the way from you? Is it wise to advertise your expertise in these departments? Or are you just looking to make new friends? laugh laugh

Jo
Posted by: Chica

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 04:22 AM

Funny you should write that Jo! At Christmastime in the states I always made trays of cookies for friends and family.

I am good friends with a restaurant/club owner in Phila. and would always make one for him and his wife as well as one for the bouncers and waitstaff at his establishment. Much to my surprise, when I showed up there this past Friday (a must go everytime I am home...gotta move those salsa feet), one of the bouncers said..."Hey you´re back! What?? No chocolate chip cookies??!!"

Maybe I should point him in the direction of the local Starbucks?? eek
Posted by: wyndyl

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 04:49 AM

All this talk of food is making me very hungry! But I think the cafeteria is already rolleyes closed...besides there's really no food left at this time of the morning.

Chica, have you ever tried adding oatmeal to your chocolate chip cookies?...(if you're into oatmeal chocoate chip cookies with walnuts)

You don't even taste the oatmeal too much, but it makes the cookie so tender and moist... :o it really won't matter what type of baking sheet you use....

Wyndyl
Posted by: Wolf

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 08:33 AM

Chica,

You may have stumbled onto a way of starting a cool business. An American bakery. Although it might not start out too big, it could grow, especially if you hook Spaniards on the banana nut bread, orange muffins, and a smattering of my fave, blueberry muffins. Throw in bear claws, a few jelly filled donuts, and some nerve jangling sugar enriched brownies, with chocolate a 1/4" thick on top and they won't be able to resist!

I can just see the queue (word chosen for my bud, Anchovy who doesn't know what a line is - :p ) running around the block a couple of times, and you doing your impression of Betty Crocker, throwing baseball sized muffins into a sack for the happy customers to take home, while your Mom-in-law keeps the cash register jingling.

Well --- maybe that's a bit of a stretch --- maybe not around the block twice - smile Just once!

Knowing that anything with sugar in it is addictive, you might just create a new generation of Spaniards who are shaped like many of us Americans. At least we'd be able to find clothes that would fit us when we get to Spain! Geez! rolleyes

Wolf (Who's going to look Chica up for a bit of banana nut bread when he gets to Spain, so he can give it a Michelin rating, even though I don't believe it will taste anything like rubber tires - wink )
Posted by: Chica

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 10:05 AM

ok folks...put your money where your watering mouth is!

Who´s investing capital in the New American Bakery?

Oops...sorry MM, I´m stealing your thunder. I think your idea is to raise $$ so you can get your butt over here... Then again, you could be potentially hired by the New American Bakery. laugh Have you brushed up on your baking skills?

LiM since you played basketball, you can be the one slam dunking the muffins.

yum yum! laugh
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 10:58 AM

I saw and took a photo of the new, yet-to-be-opened Starbucks across from the Neptune Fountain and below the Palace Hotel, of all places.
Posted by: Diana

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 11:19 AM

Guys, there was (is?) an American bakery selling all these things in Pozuelo de Alarcon. An American woman was running a small business by word of mouth and out of her kitchen, and it became so successful she opened a store and hired some people. I believe it opened in '95, and was still there in '96 when I left. I'm not really sure how successful she was once the store was opened. I'm afraid those lines Wolf described didn't appear! Her food was excellent - great quality baked goods -brownies, breads, muffins, and her bagels were out of this world. Prices were a bit high. The question is - Is she still in business? The store was on the street running behind the American School. If I have time to locate a map of Pozuelo, I'll look up the name of the street. I don't remember the name of the store.

I consider myself a Spanish cook - I learned to cook there, and we still eat Spanish food nearly every day - but while in Spain I occasionally baked American-style. Chica, if I can find it, I'll send you the recipe I followed to make brownies there. I found the key to be the chocolate. You need to use unsweetened chocolate, which is difficult to find in Madrid, and extremely expensive when you do. Once el Corte Ingles had a special on products from the US. They were selling Ghiardelli chocolates, and so I sent my Spanish husband there to buy a few bars of unsweetened chocolate so I could make brownies. He decided a few bars would not be enough, and he wiped the entire shelf clean! We had enough chocolate in our freezer for months. The extended family was thrilled. It's true that many Spaniards really love the baked goods we have in the US. I have seen Spanish people go mad for magic cookie bars (choc. chips, coconut, walnuts, graham cracker crust made of galletas maria, condensed milk..). I didn't make them too often though, because I'd get tired of chopping chocolate bars into chips!

I also bring mixes to Spain now as gifts. One of my nieces is especially fond of chocloate chip cookies, and I bring her the mix. It's usually in the oven within an hour! It's also nice that the mixes have instructions in Spanish on them.

Sorry I've gone off topic. Back to Starbucks!
Posted by: pim

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 11:41 AM

Hey fellows, I'm all for it, count me in!!!

Wolf, I TOTALLY agree with you on the blueberry muffins laugh !, but also cinnamon, chocolate, etc....And Diana is right, let's not forget the bagels (I'm not too familiar with them, but I see a lot of people here craving them (the not frozen ones) so I think we'd be quite succesful!)

Saluditos,

Pim
Posted by: Wolf

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 01:17 PM

You guys got me going! You made me hungry for fresh baked goods!

When my wife comes home from work tonight, she's in for a big surprise. Because of this link going off where it did, I started baking this morning - rolleyes I now have a loaf of apple cinnamon bread in the oven, blueberry & orange muffins ready to be put in there when the bread is done, and have started two loafs of Spanish pan which will be ready to bake right after the muffins! Geez! This ain't fair! I'm not even a good baker! The pan doesn't quite cut it, but it isn't bad. The problem is, we don't have the right kind of oven to make it in. I wish I could afford a nice brick and clay lined one in our kitchen, it would be fantastic!

To stay on subject - no Starbucks coffee with it! - wink Just a good cafe con leche.... laugh

Wolf (Who's about to pull out the recipe for caramel rolls, and chocolate chip cookies. I feel like the Pillsbury Doughboy [We've got a similar physique]! Hey! That is me!)
Posted by: LW

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 01:41 PM

Thanks Wolf for the laugh smile , and I also made my weekly muffins this morning-apple,bananas muffins, and No Starbucks coffee for me either, instead I had my Saimaza-Mezcla café, that I brought back with me from Spain, with my nice, warm and sooo good muffins this morning (even though I rather be over in Spain now having this frown , but for now, it's the best I can give myself, laugh a little of both worlds! cool )
Posted by: Chica

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 02:37 PM

So MM, as long as we mention STARBUCKS STARBUCKS STARBUCKS in our postings in this thread, does that count for staying on topic? We will then be able to avoid your wrath? cool (wasn´t me dude)

When we open the New American Bakery serving all sorts of yummy baked goods with recipes provided by a number of the board members, maybe we can open a STARBUCKS franchise inside it. Or, maybe not... rolleyes

Cafe valenciano anyone?
Posted by: pim

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 02:48 PM

Mmmm....What I'm really curious about is Wolf's Spanish pan. Hey, you'll have to tell us your wife's reaction to the treats you've prepared.

Chica, are you feeling any better? smile

I feel bad knowing the party at El Brillante is under way. frown

Oh! I almost forgot: STARBUCKS, STARBUCKS!!!

Pim
Posted by: Chica

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/04/02 04:00 PM

I´m feeling a little better PIM thanks for asking. My husband made me an Irish Coffee (we don´t have a STARBUCKS here in El Espinar) which really picked up my spirits.. laugh Then he made me dinner.

How´s the ankle? Maybe if you had some STARBUCKS coffee, you would feel better. wink
Posted by: Wolf

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/05/02 07:39 AM

The apple cinnamon bread came out very well. My wife loved it! We had pan with our dinner (lemon pepper chicken, au gratin potatoes, fresh frozen green beans from last fall's blanche & freeze, and started each meal with an orange muffin.

The orange muffins were fair, but didn't come out quite as I hoped. I may have over-baked them a bit, because the tops were a little tougher than what I like. I'll remember next time I do them to do a butter rub on the tops when they're done baking, to insure they seal and stay softer.

This morning, with our coffee, on our deck, even though the temperature is only 29 degrees out rolleyes we had blueberry muffins and butter, along with cold toes and fingers... Gawd! Fortunately our coffee wasn't Starbuck's, because we needed to chip the ice away after a few minutes so we could drink from the cups. (Sneaky, hey? :p

The blueberry muffins will have to be butter sealed in the future. Just a tad dry and crusty.

Today I intend eating my mistakes - smile

Wolf (Whose domestication continues - eek )
Posted by: Puna

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/05/02 10:17 AM

Disregarding the coffee @ Starbucks -

We seem to have a lot of chefs (including Fernando's mom) and bakers amongst us plus more than a few able writers, photographers and graphic designers - why not create our own cook book? How to Concoct the Food You Crave When in the Wrong Country. Granted - that title is lousy - but we'll find a better one.

I'm sure Wolf would be willing to pose with apron, chef's hat and spatuala in hand for the cover. wink

Just think - maybe we could all have to go to Spain for research, sales promotions. etc. etc. - now any financial people out there - how can we make a few euros doing this?
Posted by: Jo-Anne

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/05/02 10:35 AM

Wolf's Butter Rub sounds interesting and I think Puna's book title is perfect.

I'm game for the compulsory visit to Spain!

Jo
(STARBUCKS) rolleyes
Posted by: Fernando

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/05/02 11:25 AM

Puna my mother thanks that commentary wink

By the way, what you said sounded interesting to me.

One of my abilities is advanced web design, and other cooking smile What if we open a site (or a section of MM site if he wants and have bandwidth/free space in the server) with spanish and american typical recipes?

Think of it: gazpacho, macarrones con chorizo, brownies, muffins, wafles, cinamon bread,... Who wants to help me?

If there is enough people I will do the design and I will upload it to some free server.

Mmmm, it has been long since I posted my last recipe... I'm going to do some research.

Fernando
Posted by: taravb

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/05/02 04:00 PM

What a great idea--an online cookbook, with contributions by MM visitors! It should probably include an easily-understandable page (in Spanish and English) with metric conversions, and maybe a glossary of unfamiliar ingredients! I LOVE to cook and am always searching for new recipes--and I really enjoy sharing my favorite ones.

Fernando, I noticed you mentioned waffles in your list of foods...I remember you said you loved those when you were in America! I wonder if there are electric waffle makers available in Spain?

Let's do it!!
Tara smile
Posted by: wyndyl

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/05/02 05:57 PM

I just got back from STARBUCK'S with a caramel macchiato laugh

Fernando, I love that idea about the cookbook...I'd like some pictures go along with the recipes...don't you think. I think I have a couple of recipes...

Of course, I'm always more interested in the sweets rolleyes

Wyndy
Posted by: Fernando

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/06/02 09:53 PM

Mmmm, I have seen today another Starbucks, which is going to be opened soon in the Calle Ortega y Gasset (street) in Madrid. This makes two establishments, isn't it?

If the prices are that high, and the coffee that bad, it won't last much. I'm sure people will judge it, if it is good it will be filled of people smile

This Starbucks I saw is going to have seats outside the establishment, as far as I could guess...

Fernando
Posted by: LostInMadrid

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/22/02 11:12 AM

El Cafetel Americano

Thank god for American companies... According to this Sunday El Pais article, you can't smoke in the Starbucks here in Spain! WOOOHOO!

It says it's been open since April 12, so I guess we'll have to go check it out. It also says that they're going to try to open 25 restaurants here in Spain by 2004 and include "drive-thrus" (how American). They're going to be all owned by Starbucks and be integrated into restaurants like Vips, not franchised to locals. My wife was a little annoyed at this... I have no idea how they operate in the U.S. but it seems to me that Starbucks will take a while (if ever) to catch on here, so they'll need deep pockets to start.

The question still remains: Will the have fresh muffins?

-Russ
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/22/02 11:36 PM

Quote:
According to this Sunday El Pais article, you can't smoke in the Starbucks here in Spain! WOOOHOO!
Well then. I'm sure those 7 people will enjoy their coffee in fresh, airconditioned peace. wink

But seriously folks, HOW MANY Spaniards LOVE to have a coffee AND a cigarette at the same time? ANSWER: A LOT of them. I'm VERY interested to see what happens to this establishment. I'll even BET they'll change their NO SMOKING policy within a month.

Saludos, MadridMan
Posted by: pim

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/23/02 06:30 AM

I saw a report on TV about this coffe shop yesterday in the great program Madrid Directo, and the thing that struck me most, and what they were stressing too, was their non smoking policy. I personally don't think that they'll change that, but I get the feeling that they won't be opening all the other places that they're planning to when they realize the two existing ones aren't all that profitable.
The one where they taped the report was the one beside Vips at the Palace Hotel, the customers there were turists and some curious elderly men, by the way, the staff was saying that Spanish people only ordered 'cafés con leche', and didn't try any of their many variations.
I think that specific Starbucks will do fine as long as it's "tourism high season" and Spaniards can have their coffe with cigarrettes in their outdoor 'terraza', but we'll see what happens in the fall....

LiM, sorry I didn't see any muffins we'll have to check it out for ourselves,....but there was a lot of merchandise! eek

MMan, I AM one of those 7 adult Spaniards that doesn't smoke (my ex is another one!)

Saludos,

pim
Posted by: Puna

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/24/02 01:14 PM

When LiM and his wife become parents - any day now I believe, can anyone come up with a way to send him his muffins from home - know he would luv it! Be sure to let us know if its a nino or nina!!!!!
Posted by: LostInMadrid

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/24/02 01:31 PM

Thanks for remembering Puna... still 3 weeks to go (or around that time). We just went to the doctor's today and our baby boy doesn't seem to be ready just yet. He's taking his time (no rush) to get into position, ready to launch. He'll probably start getting prepared next week sometime and start dropping into place, ready to make his grand debut around the 14th...

We, of course, have "muchas ganas" to meet little Alexander David, but we're also doing what we can to relax, and enjoy our last few days of being just a couple. I mean, it'll be 18 years at least before we ship the kid off to Harvard, right? ;-)

-Russ
Posted by: Puna

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/24/02 01:48 PM

18 loooonnnnngggg years, my friend, before Alexander David is off to college - Harvard or other. rolleyes And no, I didn't forget it was a boy that you were awaiting - I just didn't want to shoot my mouth off - as I do so often on!
Can anyone out there figure out how to get those muffins to Madrid?
Posted by: Fernando

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/24/02 02:10 PM

Pim, your ex, yourself and me, that makes 3 of the seven non-smokers in Spain wink

By the way, it is my opinion, but I think this Starbucks are not going to last much... The non-smoking policy is really annoying for spaniards... How will people react? It will be interesting.

As far as I know, Starbucks is coming by the hand of VIPS, and all restaurants VIPS have opened have been an astonishing success...

Fernando
Posted by: pim

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/24/02 02:14 PM

Hey LiM,

CONGRATULATIONS AND THE BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR SPANISH LADY!!! laugh laugh laugh

(Watch out though, the kid might start liking bullfights and wanting to become a 'torero' since he's going to be a TAURUS and be born in the middle of San Isidro's Festival! eek :p wink )
(just kiding)

Please, keep us posted! smile

pim
Posted by: Chica

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/26/02 07:10 PM

LIM -- can we call affectionately call Alexander David "Starbucks"? How ´bout just "Bucks" for short...reminiscent of your nationality...and what we all wished we had more of! wink

Added to Pim, her ex, and Fernando are my husband, his two sisters, his mother and at least 10 of my English students :p :p

Puna, I´ll see what I can do about those muffins... just gotta find those huge muffin tins!
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 04/27/02 09:09 AM

[originally posted by alabina on 04-27-2002 at 02:57 AM...]
Subject: "we can definitely do without starbucks when travelling!!!!!!!!!!"

In Vancouver there must be about 12 starbucks within walking distance. I couldn't believe people getting ecstatic over it's arrival in Spain. I'd prefer myself for a real local coffee, and much cheaper, and nicer ambience!! Just my opinion.
Posted by: MadridMan

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 05/04/02 01:05 AM

Article (in Spanish) in today's (Saturday's) Madridiario.es :

Los establecimientos ofrecen más de 1.000 clases de café

La compañía norteamerica Starbucks abre en Madrid sus primeras dos cafeterías en colaboración con el grupo Vips

Madrid.-MDO
Las dos primeras cafeterías de la cadena estadounidense Starbucks Coffee Company ya pueden visitarse en Madrid. Esta importante cadena, que trabaja en 26 países y cuenta con 5.000 tiendas, espera abrir en los próximos cinco años 100 establecimientos en España. Tras lo de Madrid, serán abiertos nuevos locales en Barcelona antes de que comience el verano. Para su implantación en España, la compañía norteamericana firmó un acuerdo de colaboración con el Grupo Vips y El Molí Vell. Los locales, que responden a una estética similiar en toda la cadena, ofrecen a sus clientes más de 1.000 combinaciones de café diferentes, procedente de Indonesia, África y Latinoamérica.

La cadena estadounidense Starbucks junto con sus dos socios españoles, Grupo Vips y El Molí Vell, han abierto sus dos primeras cafeterías en Madrid. La compañía, con sede en Seatle, abrirá cafeterías en Barcelona antes de verano y tiene previsto abrir 100 en España en un período de cinco años. Starbucks Coffee Company, que cotiza en la bolsa de Nueva York, es líder mundial en ventas de café a través de sus más de 5.000 tiendas en Estados Unidos, el Reino Unido, Europa continental, el área del Pacífico y del Medio Oriente. En total, desarrolla su actividad en veintiséis países. Madrid, tras el acuerdo con el grupo Vips, ha sido la primera ciudad en la que ha comenzado a funcionar dentro de un proceso de expansión que tiene como objetivos su implantación en Latinoamérica y el aumento de su presencia en todo el mercado europeo.

Las cafeterías Starbucks tienen unas reglas para todos los países. Como norma estricta no se puede fumar en ninguno de sus establecimientos. La compañía selecciona sus productos en Indonesia, África y Latinoamérica. y ofrece más de mil combinaciones de los mejores cafés. Sus compras representan el 1% de la producción mundial de café. Estas dos cafeterías son el principio del plan de expansión de Starbucks en España. La sociedad tiene previsto continuar su proceso de expansión en Barcelona antes del verano, y abrir entre 10 y 15 tiendas más en el próximo año y medio en todo el territorio nacional.

Los dos establecimientos abiertos en Madrid de la mano del grupo Vips están ubicados en la calle Ortega y Gasset, del barrio Salamanca, y en la plaza Canovas del Castillo. Starbucks firmó el pasado mes de octubre un acuerdo con el Grupo Vips, socio mayoritario y líder en su sector que integra cafeterías tiendas y restaurantes y El Molí Vell, líder en Barcelona con establecimientos especializados en pan y bollería, por el que se creó una sociedad conjunta llamada Tres Estrellas Unidas S.L cuya misión es gestionar las operaciones de Starbucks en España. La ONG Save the Children, que trabaja para la defensa y promoción de los derechos de la infancia, colaborará con la sociedad Tres Estrellas Unidas S.L. para llevar a cabo obras sociales en el área de educación y de integración social.
Posted by: Chica

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 05/04/02 05:36 AM

Quote:
Starbucks firmó el pasado mes de octubre un acuerdo con el Grupo Vips, socio mayoritario y líder en su sector que integra cafeterías tiendas y restaurantes y El Molí Vell, líder en Barcelona con establecimientos especializados en pan y bollería...
Maybe just maybe LiM will be able to find those huge muffins he has been craving afterall. At least maybe in Barcelona!

Going off on Taravb´s idea of naming the child FoundinMadrid, maybe we can name him/her Encontrado/a. And then come up with some sort of nick name like "Contri". (my suegra is Asunción and they call her Choni...go figure!) !! smile wink
Posted by: Espe3

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 05/15/02 02:08 PM

are only 3 things that spain doesn't have that if they had it would be PERFECT, and 2 of those 3 well, i could deal without.

Pilsbury toaster streudles-Blueberry (every now and then for a treat I crave them! But since I may buy a box, oh about once a year, not crucial!)

Burbon Chicken- because I've tried as hard as I can to find the recipe and the ones I've found, TRUST ME- are no good! frown

And... FRAPPUCHINOS! This I need! I'm not big into coffee and the bottled kind... well not the same. Now I can move to Spain and instead of heaven, live on cloud 9. I can have it all, family, friends my fiance AND my Frappuchinos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't hate me!
Posted by: LostInMadrid

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 06/01/02 10:46 PM

Up late with the little sapo (that's what we call him when he makes ugly faces at us).

Ran across this interesting article about Starbucks in Vienna.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/01/busine...artner=USERLAND

"Here in Vienna, there are tables and armchairs on two levels, with plenty of free samples, like the chocolate muffin and the frappuccino. Cappuccino and latte are the most popular choices, followed, Mr. Holzschuh said with a smile, by caramel macchiato."

FREE samples? That sounds so odd to me now... 2 years in Spain and I've lost all sense of American culture.

-Russ
Posted by: Luis, innit?

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 06/06/02 10:08 AM

confused If Starbucks got its inspiration from Italy? why not open an Italian coffee shop? oh! I know, Starbucks has got big bucks and will be selling "American Experience". PS Shocked to find muffins are not found in Spanish shops
PS2 The one thing I miss about Madrid is its cafes, Starbucks in London is complete rubbish in comparison, if they have got atmosphere they are either jam packed or non smoking, non smoking cafes! that's like unlicenced bars! so there, good luck to them but they can only be successful if they go full on American
Posted by: LostInMadrid

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 06/15/02 03:16 PM

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!

I'm eating a nice, perfectly done Blueberry Muffin from Starbucks. It's great. I'm happy.

My baby is one month old now and my wife and I finally have our stuff together and the babe is finally old enough that we could leave the house for a few consecutive hours today. It can be quite the effort for those of you who don't have babies. But we had a plan this morning so we woke up early, washed, cleaned the house a bit and the kid, I went and did the food shopping for the week so it wouldn't be hanging over our heads later (no shops open on Sunday, remember) while my wife prepped El Sapo and an extra bottle for the road. At 1:00 p.m. we were ready. We could hardly believe it...

We first went to The Casa del Libros near Sol because my wife wanted to check out the baby section - which was cool with me because it's right next to the computer books section (I've got some baby books in English already). Alex was very weird all day: he just slept like an angel in his stroller. Where's that cranky kid we normally have that cries like a psycho after 30 minutes outside the house? We walked out of the store an hour later with 3 very odd baby books in Spanish. My wife is reading them now very excitedly and now believes that Alex sometimes cries because he's stressed. STRESSED? What does a one month old have to be stressed about? (Lots, apparently...)

After our success at the bookstore, we were both hungry so we went to McDonald's (my wife's idea, not mine... she's in love with Big Macs). The Mickey D's on Gran Via is a nuthouse, and especially today when a group of 40 kids or so on some sort of field trip showed up. The level of noise was amazing. And Alex just slept like some kid in a coma... I kept checking to see if he was breathing.

Finally, not wanting to head home just yet and with Alex sleeping away, I suggested we walk down to the Palace Hotel and check out the Starbucks. We had our wedding reception there, so it's sort of romantic for us to go by the hotel and Plaza Neptune.

The Starbucks there is great! It's a REAL Starbucks (who knows what I was expecting). Big, bright and clean. No smoking (the first thing you notice, I swear). Large stuffed chairs in the front and some tables in the back. High ceilings and Lyle Lovett on the stereo. I was in heaven. My wife found us a couple big seats near the front window next to some exchange students with laptops while I went to get a couple Frappuchino's to drink (my wife's first... decaf for her so El Dormidito doesn't become El Despertado de la Madrugada) and 4 blueberry muffins to go.

It was my wife's second time in a Starbucks, but the first time was two years ago at a small one in Boston, so we analyzed it again like new. We sat back and relaxed and watched the tourists come in and struggle with their orders (lots of pointing) and the young (20 and younger) Spanish kids order versions of the cool drinks and hang out (lots of mobile phone messaging). It was definitely busy the whole time, but not packed, and a decent mix of Americans, couple Germans (happy with today's match I think, though who knows what they were saying...) and Spanish. And Alex slept and slept (with a blanket, since the AC was on high. Fine with us since it had to be 98 degrees out today).

We gave him the bottle out in the shade in front of the Prado and decided not to push our luck and catch the bus home. I took a long siesta once we got home and when I woke up, there were four beautiful muffins waiting for me, one of which I just ate before starting this post. MMMMMMMmmmmmm!

All in all, a very good day.

-Russ

P.S. More pics of the kid online at my homepage.
Posted by: taravb

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 06/15/02 08:37 PM

Russ, you can't imagine how delighted I am for you--I had begun to worry incessantly about the lack of muffins in Madrid, certain that that would be the straw that breaks the camel's back and sends you scurrying back stateside (and heaven knows we need you there, reporting at length about all and sundry!).

Tell Ana not to worry...Alex isn't stressed. He's being an occasionally crabby and frequently unpredictable baby (except for today, apparently!). I'm telling you this as a mom who's almost finished a Ph.D. in child development...he's a typical baby, which means that just when you think you have him figured out, he does something completely different. If he's eating and growing and sleeping and pooping, well, you're golden. And within two weeks from now, you'll start seeing the most gorgeous VOLUNTARY smiles that will simply melt your heart. You'll do ANYTHING to get more of them, I promise.

Really, babies have so much to do to regulate their body temp and their moods, integrate their sensations and perceptions, deal with occasional overstimulation from well-meaning abuelitas, etc. I can promise you he's not stressed, or at least not any more than any other baby out there. As for you and Ana, well, that's probably another story!

The crying sucks. I remember that all too well. However, I can tell you that it levels off soon, and then you're home free for a while (until you have to deal with separation anxiety at 7-12 months!). Give each other breaks, and find a way to plop Alex into a bouncy seat just outside the bathroom door while you take a nice long shower. And if you've found a comfortable front-pack baby carrier, try using that around the house (and when you're out) to cut down on the wailing. And buy earplugs for whichever of you is NOT getting up for the next feeding at night.

Parenting books are good doorstops. So are well-meaning abuelitas. wink
Posted by: pim

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 06/16/02 07:06 AM

Russ,

You know? I'm going to have to stop reading your posts about little Alex, 'cause they cause my maternal instict (quite strong as it is) to suffer from a huge increase (can you say that¿?) all of a sudden!....

BTW, how is your new job? Are you as busy as I am?!!!

Mmmmmmm! babies' smell is even better than muffins!.... wink

Starbucks, Starbucks! laugh
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: Starbucks opening in Madrid!!! - 06/25/02 10:51 AM

STARBUCKS IN MADRID!!!WHAT A JOKE!
In my opinon the best cup of coffee in the world can be had *cheap* in Madrid and I assure you it is not in Starbucks. By extension the european pasteries are exponentially BETTER than some cupcake/muffin/bagel found in Starbucks.

I don't know, I travel for several reasons, one is to see my family, two is to GET AWAY from the familiar and submerse myself in the european "joie de vivre" .....Starbucks unreal.