4000th Store Opens in EMEA
Saudi Arabia’s first to-go store becomes the 4000th to open in Europe, Middle East and Africa region
It may have a small footprint but this store, in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, has a big presence, brimming with a beautiful interior and green apron partners ready to serve up customers’ favourite coffees to-go.
Saudi Arabia’s first takeaway-only Starbucks store, the Boulevard Riyadh, serves as a landmark moment for the region, highlighting all the ways in which Starbucks is adapting to meet the changing needs of customers to bring the Starbucks Experience to them wherever they are and however they want it, through ethically sourced coffee.
This express retail experience integrates Starbucks physical and digital customer touchpoints, combining the signature Starbucks store experience with quick and easy ordering in person and via Starbucks Delivers™. The streamlined experience allows customers to conveniently get their favorite Starbucks beverages and food on-the-go or brought to them.
Opening a variety of store formats that are relevant to customers and the local community enables Starbucks to unlock the brand and bring Starbucks welcoming ‘Third Place’ to more people and in more places. The past 18+ months have seen immense change as we continue to navigate the global pandemic, and Starbucks is accelerating store design and transformation plans to meet evolving consumer needs. Blending the signature Starbucks café environment with new on-the-go experiences, such as the one at Boulevard Riyadh, allows Starbucks to leverage and adapt stores to best serve customers and meet them where they are in their day.
Located within The Boulevard Riyadh, in the North of the city, the new store is within an area best known for its shopping and socialising. Referred to locally as ‘Times Square’ due to its likeness to the New York namesake, the Boulevard is illuminated with vast LED panels stretching across the skyscrapers. These mesmerizing lights continue in store with illuminated circles on the ceiling, a representation of Starbucks thick and creamy Cold Foam, and the corrugated interior is a nod to Starbucks signature Cold Brew and Nitro Cold Brew – a true celebration of Starbucks iced coffee craft.
This year marks another landmark for Starbucks: 50 years since the first store opened in Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market. This 50th anniversary year, Starbucks has been embracing its Mission and Values to lay the foundation for the next 50 years. A future based on the betterment of both its people and the planet.
2021 also marks 21 years since the opening of Saudi Arabia’s first Starbucks store. Starbucks in the Middle East is operated in partnership with the Alshaya Group, who hold the exclusive license for operating and developing the Starbucks brand across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), bringing the Starbucks Experience and Mission and Values to the local communities we serve.
Opening the doors of EMEA’s 4000th store, Starbucks welcomes you.
