Starbucks to open at Menlyn Maine

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“We are completely humbled by the support we have received since opening our first store in April. This new development gives us an opportunity to bring our iconic coffee to an iconic city with a rich food and coffee culture. We are honoured and excited to bring the Starbucks experience to 'Jacaranda City'," says Carlo Gonzaga, CEO of Taste Holdings.

The 250sqm store at Menlyn Maine in Pretoria will offer the full Starbucks experience including 100% Arabica coffee, a fresh, delicious food selection and free, high-speed Wi-Fi. The new store will also offer a Reserve Bar that will serve some of the world’s rarest single-origin, small-lot coffees and prepared through a variety of unique brewing methods, including siphon, pour-over, and the Clover™ brewing system.

“Starbucks is known as the ‘third place’, a place away from home and work where people connect, share and create. Every aspect of this store has been created to be the ultimate ‘third place’ in Pretoria,” adds Gonzaga. As with all Starbucks stores, individuality is important and the store design is inspired by Pretoria’s community and surroundings. As with the first two stores, local artisans will contribute to the design, and décor for the store.

Store partners have been recruited from the surrounding communities through Taste’s Changing Lanes programme, which focuses on giving opportunities to currently unemployed youth.

“We selected Menlyn Maine not just because of its location but because it offers consumers something new,” concludes Gonzaga. Menlyn Maine is set to become Africa’s biggest green city with over 30 000sqm of space and is due to open late September.