Well then. I'm sure those 7 people will enjoy their coffee in fresh, airconditioned peace.

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

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!

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

Saludos,

pim

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!!!!!

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

18 loooonnnnngggg years, my friend, before Alexander David is off to college - Harvard or other. 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?

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

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

Hey LiM,

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

(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! :p )
(just kiding)

Please, keep us posted!

pim

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!

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!

[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.

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.