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Best Coffee
Starbucks
By Eston Bond | Managing Online Editor
NOW WE PRESENT
TO YOU
Schoolkid's Records stays open and thriving even though it's underground.
tarbucks is absolutely huge, and
no, it's not only the corporation.
According to their website the
Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Com-
pany has 10,801 establishments in
37 countries worldwide (With 7,661
of those in the United States,) Ann
Arbor's South University and State/
Liberty locations are among the largest
at 4,600 and 4,500 square feet, respec-
tively.
At both campus locations, the
espresso bar is almost alchemical.
Customers order extremely complex
drinks in Starbucks lingo, starting
with a size, continuing with a seem-
ingly endless amount of modifying
adjectives, and ending with what-
ever the base drink is on the wall-
mounted menu. Starbucks newbies
be warned: those ignorant of the lan-
guage may be scoffed at by bystand-
ers holding grande, seven-pump,
sugar-free, non-fat, extra-hot, vanil-
la cappuccinos. If you mess up your
word order, the cashiers relay cor-
rect grammar to the baristas making
your coffee.
Half of the chains success on cam-
pus - and most likely elsewhere
- is due to its massive amount of
customization; at more than 38 mil-
lion possibilities for espresso-based
drinks alone, one is sure to find
something palatable, if not absolute-
ly delicious, on the Starbucks menu.
Some customers stick to simple,
daily brewed coffee; others order $7,
10-word caffeinated potions. Thanks
to strict quality control and barista
training, Starbucks coffee is nearly
homogenous between locations; the
drink you love at your hometown
Starbucks will most likely taste
exactly the same at another.
The Starbucks selection doesn't
end with mere liquid libations; a
fully stocked bakery case holds
more than 20 sweet (and not-so-
sweet) goods from classic crumb
cake to immensely sugary cupcakes.
If you're on the go, a refrigerator
case directly below the baked goods
holds Jones Soda, San Pellegrino
and even cans of Starbucks's own
iced coffee.
The social atmosphere at the State
Street location is diverse and lively.
A crowd of sorority girls, hipsters,
professionals and even the occa-
sional Ann Arbor homeless float in
and out through the first floor's two
entrances from at 9 a.m. until close
at midnight. The crowd at the tables
varies depending on the time of day:
In the morning, the first floor is
packed with a range of professionals,
townies and students alike; as the
day progresses, the crowd becomes
increasingly more casual, with the
late-night crowd composed almost
entirely of University students. The
Patrons can use wireless Internet and choose from an array of drinks at Start
L
N
B
O
R
newly renovated basement contains a
removable stage area for live music,
adding to the casual atmosphere.
Throughout the day, the glass-walled
exterior of the first floor adds a
bright, lively light to the interior,
soaking the soft leather couches in
a comfortable amount of sunlight
for reading. At peak hours, it can be
absolutely impossible to find a seat,
and the basement closes inexplicably
early on some weeknights, adding to
the seating chaos.
The South University Avenue scene
is primarily college-oriented, filled
with students from open to close.
Compared to the State Street, the
South University Starbucks is almost
always darker. In the day, dim incan-
descent lights clash with the fluores-
cent glow of those in the nearby mall
hallway, which the location shares a
glass wall. At night, the lighting situ-
ation can cause an uncomfortable, if
not disorienting, condition for those
attempting to read textbooks or nov-
els too close to the hallway.
For patrons using laptops, electri-
cal outlets are sparse in both loca-
tions. Wireless Internet is controlled
S
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7
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,A
Red Hot Lovers makes the best hot dogs
on campus.
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Apartments
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Book and Supply
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and Barry's Sportswear
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Arbor Film Festival
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Kappa Kappa Gamma
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Date: Grizzly Peak
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www.google.com
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Best Website to Waste Time
On: www.facebook.com
Best of the Rest
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my rough draft over my final draft
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Be Seen": Rick's
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The Michigan Dail,)
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4B - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 13, 2006