Starbucks Opens First-Ever Smaller 'Expresso' Location For Busy People

Have you ever walked into a Starbucks, befuddled by the long menu of pastries, teas, sandwiches, and coffee drinks loaded with syrup, and thought to yourself, "I'm a busy Wall Street executive. I just want to buy my coffee and get the heck out of here." Well, you're in luck (especially if you're a Wall Street executive). Starbucks is opening up its first-ever express location, cleverly described as an "Espresso shot" of a Starbucks experience, on Wall Street in New York. We think they missed the boat on calling it the Starbucks Expresso Experience, but that's beside the point.

The "Espresso Shot" Starbucks location will actually be a regular Starbucks store, only smaller and stripped down to its basics: that means no couches or any seating (just countertops), and a focus on getting your order to you quickly and conveniently. The 538-square-foot space is apparently also supposed to be aesthetically appealing, with minimal wooden and steel décor and a digital menu board displayed on four low-glare monitors that turn into a work of artwork at night with images of coffee farms.

"This location on Wall Street was intentionally designed to take what's at the heart of our cafés and distill that for a smaller space," said Bill Sleeth, Starbucks vice president for store design. "It is the perfect example of how to balance high design, attention to detail and efficiency, while maintaining what is unique to who we are — our coffee and the connection between our customers and partners."