“There Will Definitely Be A Bar” – Starbucks To Open Maiden Store in Italy

Starbucks is everywhere. The famous coffee chain has stores on every street corner. You can march in to any train station and find the green signage and the signature white mermaid. Wherever you go, there is sure to be a Starbucks close by.

It would be a stretch to say that Starbucks succeeds everywhere it opens up, but, by and large, once the company sets its roots it grows and moves from strength to strength. Currently, Starbucks operates thousands of stores and serves around 90 million people per week.

And there is still room for more. Emerging markets are the focus of the company. In China, for example, it is hoping to open up 500 stores a year. Yet their most newsworthy opening is set to take place in Italy, which, until now, has been a Starbucks-free country.

In early 2017, Starbucks will open its first Italian store in Milan.

“There are very few markets and stores that I am as intimately involved in as this,” Howard Schultz said in a post-announcement interview.

Schultz (Starbucks’ chairman and chief executive) has long maintained his vision for the company was inspired by Italy. But there is a big problem: the Italian coffee culture is diametrically opposed to the casual culture promoted by Starbucks.

Many people are predicting that Starbucks will fall flat when it debuts.

One such person is Orlando Chiari. At 82, the veteran coffee bar owner has seen many pretenders come and go and he’s isn’t optimistic about Starbucks’ chances.

“I think young people will try it out, for curiosity. But I doubt it will become a major player.”

“We worship coffee in Italy while Americans drink coffee on the go in large cups. It’s two extremely different cultures.”

Yet with Schultz at the helm, this is going to be a different type of Starbucks.

“We are not coming here to teach the Italians how to make coffee – nothing like that at all,” he said.

Importantly, “there will definitely be a bar.”

That said, it is believed that this Milanese store will focus on attracting the young market. Research indicates that brand recognition is high, and a large percentage of their target demographic are already open to the Starbucks brand and philosophy.

We will be keeping a trained eye on Starbucks gentle entry into the Italian market.

Do you think it will succeed or are you of the opinion that the Seattle-based chain is on a hiding to nothing?