The FINANCIAL — In partnership with Taste Holdings, Starbucks has opened its third South African store in Menlyn Maine in the city of Tshwane.
Once the mall is complete in 2017, Menlyn Maine will be the biggest green development in South Africa, and the new epicenter of the city. Beginning on September 21, Tshwane residents have their own place to enjoy Starbucks 100% arabica coffee, fresh food offerings and free high-speed Wi-Fi in a beautiful new store.
“We are honored to open our doors in a city with such a rich culture and appreciation for food. Just like in our first two Starbucks stores, we hope our customers will consider this new store as a ‘third place’ between home and work, where people connect, share and create. It is a place where ideas are born and memories are created – it’s about so much more than a cup of coffee,” said Carlo Gonzaga, CEO of Taste Holdings.
The store’s design was inspired by the cityscape of Tshwane. Strong geometric lines of the buildings and the city’s warm tones had an influence on the store’s aesthetic. The natural, scored concrete walls celebrate the hard work and craft of the city. The highlight of the store is a hand-painted mural by Seven Veil Studios that pays homage to the very first Starbucks store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, while celebrating South Africa through the local flora, according to Starbucks.
“Every aspect of this store has been created to be the ultimate ‘third place.’ We hope that this store will become a part of the city and our history,” said Gonzaga.
Starbucks Reserve Bar offers special small-batch single origin coffees served by skilled baristas through a variety of brewing methods, including Siphon, Pour-Over, and the Clover brewing system. Customers can enjoy Reserve coffees from Colombia San Fermin, Colombia Los Rosales, and Cape Verde Figo Island.
“With our first two South African stores open and doing well in Johannesburg, I am delighted to see a new store open in Pretoria,” said Martin Brok, president, Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Our whole business is excited about being part of these South Africa neighborhoods and I’m proud that this store will extend the Changing Lanes program even further. We’ll now be able to offer great career opportunities to local young people in Pretoria, including training in world class customer service and barista mastery.”
The store team of 30 partners has been recruited from the surrounding communities through Taste’s Changing Lanes program, which focuses on giving opportunities to currently unemployed youth.
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