Reclaiming third places – our bold vision for Community Stores

In the heart of the bustling metropolis of Ümraniye Yamanevler in Türkiye, you’ll find a Starbucks store that looks a bit different. It’s a Starbucks Community Store – the latest one to open in our region. It’s a space designed to reflect the needs, character and energy of the community surrounding it. So, let’s rewind a bit to see how we got here.

There’s a special magic to be found in spaces where people can come together to connect, to learn, and just be themselves. They are what sociologist Ray Oldenburg calls ‘third places’. Not your home (your first place), or your work (your second place), but a special third place that is somewhere in between.

These third places aren’t just a nice-to-have, they’re actually really important to our wellbeing – humans are social creatures, after all. They’re safe, accessible spaces for us to make friends and feel connected to our communities. But in recent years, third places have been disappearing for various reasons – from changes in the way we design urban spaces to our evolving lifestyles and social habits.  

At Starbucks, human connection has always been at the heart of everything we do. We’re not just about coffee, we bring people together. Ever since we opened our first store in Pike Place Market in Seattle back in 1971, we’ve been creating welcoming third places where people can meet old friends or make new ones. In the spirit of our heritage, we’re determined to keep third places alive. Community Stores are one way we plan to do it .

Brewing moments of togetherness

We first explored the concept of Community Stores in the United States – specifically in Harlem, New York, and Crenshaw, Los Angeles. The idea was simple: create stores that go beyond coffee and truly reflect the culture of the communities they serve.

Fast-forward to today and you can find our Community Stores across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond. From an all-female-operated drive-thru in Saudi Arabia to stores specially designed for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing, each one is unique.

But what is it that makes Community Stores so special? We team up with local artists, suppliers, and other organisations to ensure they are as vibrant and interesting as the people who visit them. These are spaces that live and breathe the character, energy, and culture of the surrounding neighbourhood.

For the store in Ümraniye Yamanevler, we worked with a non-profit organisation called Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG) to create a store that is perfect for creativity and learning. Through a $135,000 grant from The Starbucks Foundation, it also offers educational programmes that empower local young people to develop new skills that will help prepare them for their future careers.

 The Community Store in Ümraniye Yamanevler is so much more than just a coffeehouse, it’s a place for people to explore their passions, inspire each other, and discover something new.

A space for everyone

Community means everyone. Equity and inclusivity are at the heart of our Community Stores. We know that we must make these spaces truly accessible for all and work closely with experts who really understand the needs and lived experiences of those with disabilities to make sure we get this right.

For example, we consulted with the British Deaf Association and the Deaf Leadership, Accessibility Office, to create thoughtful, safe and welcoming experiences for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. That includes features like innovative order boards and iPads to make the ordering process as simple and stress-free as possible. We now have Signing Stores all over the world.

In the UK, thanks to the dedication and compassion of one of our baristas, we’ve also rolled out a British Sign Language (BSL) training program for our Green Apron Partners. Inspired by a Deaf customer who would regularly visit his store, Toro Manca signed himself up for a Level 1 BSL class. Now, over 11,000 Green Apron Partners across more than 450 of our stores have completed our BSL training, just like Toro did, so we can all better serve the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

Rediscover the magic of third places

But this is only the beginning. We’re going back to our roots – to what makes Starbucks, Starbucks. We have a simple dream: to spark moments of connection over great coffee. That’s why we’re focusing on creating the perfect spaces for that to happen.Places where ideas come to life, where memories are made, and where everyone feels like they belong.

We’ll be opening more Community Stores soon – so watch this space!