Starbucks
4147 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 547-3280
Hours:
M-F 5am - 11pm | Sa - Sun 6am - 10pm
Website:
Facebook Page:
Rating:
★★★★☆
Four star place that gets one star less for no padded chairs, but one star plus for good mojo, so it's a wash.
Slogan:
They don't have one. They do have a mission statement:
"To inspire and nurture the human spirit–one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time."
Ugh. Astonishingly lame, considering they started the whole upscale coffee revolution.
Ugh. Astonishingly lame, considering they started the whole upscale coffee revolution.
Type:
Coffee Shop.
Location:
University District.
Ease of Location:
Easy and Difficult, simultaneously. Depends on the time of day. Close to I-5 & SR 520, and almost on top of 15th Ave NE and two blocks south of NE 45th St, it's easy before am rush hour, or after pm rush hour.
Smack dab in the U-District and on the Ave, the neighborhood is packed during the day, especially while University of Washington is in session.
Local:
No. Huge Chain. The granddaddy of them all.
Multiple Locations:
Oh, good lord yes.
Transit:
Bus stops one block away, north or south on University Way (the Ave). KC Metro routes 30, 71, 72, 73, 74, 83, 373. The 15 Ave NE bus stops are one block to the east. The Campus Parkway Station is less than three blocks away to the south.
Parking:
Street parking only, and it's tough during weekdays in the middle of the day.
Price:
$
Coffee Brand:
Starbucks
What I Had:
Venti iced coffee with two Splendas and half & half.
How Was It?:
Pretty good. Nothing that's going to blow your mind, but it's pretty damn good - that's why their stuff is so popular.
Staff:
Very friendly, very hard-working.
Crowd:
Almost exclusively students. I was the oldest guy in the joint by far, by probably 10 to 15 years.
Food:
Fresh baked goods and pastries. Refrigerated pre-made sandwiches and salads.
Seats & Tables:
Lots.
(2) 6-person bar-style counters, against the NE 42nd St windows.
(1) 8 person bar-style counter.
(8) 2-person tables.
(2) Rectangular, 4-person wooden surfaced tables.
(7) Bar-style, 4-person round tables.
(1) Bar-style, 6-person round tables.
(1) Rectangular wood surfaced community table. 6 wooden chairs.
All bar stools are metal, no padding.
All table chairs are wooden chairs, no padding.
No padding on any seats at all whatsoever. This scores negative points with my bony butt.
Outdoors:
No outdoor seating.
Recycling:
None! You gotta be kidding me.
WiFi:
Yes. Free.
Power:
OK. Bring an extension cord.
Music:
Not even sure if there's music playing. This place is so crowded; it's really noisy during the day.
Decor:
Typical Starbucks. Some flair of personality. No one's going to be unhappy with the way the place looks.
Temperature:
Good. A little too much a/c. It was only 68 degrees that day; not really necessary.
Heat-A/C:
Central air. This place has been very comforting during the heat waves of Summer 2014.
Lighting:
Lots of natural light. Two walls face the outdoors and are almost completely windows top to bottom.
Over head: Smoked glass incandescents.
(4) glass cone-shaped glass incandescents over the 8-person bar counter.
Who Is It For?:
Students, professors and employees of UW, business people & people who work in the U-District, visitors to the U-District, residents of the neighborhood. People looking for a non-offensive, non-exciting place to meet early in the morning or late at night.
Special/Extra:
The staff is incredibly hard working here. The place is busier than almost any coffee shop I've been to, and they crank out dozens of drinks per hour. The line never stops, even late at night when there's one or two people in line.
Other Notes:
I like this place. It has good mojo. I can't put my finger on it, but I like it. Most corporate places bore me; this one doesn't. Lots of young folks from other countries. Good energy here.
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