ISSUE: 9/13/06 > Spillin' the beans > Starbucks
Hours: Monday to Friday 5:30a.m.-11:30p.m. Saturday and Sunday 6a.m.-12a.m. Prices: Address: 2 miles / 5 min. from campus
Coffee: $1.50
Espresso: $1.45
Tea: $1.30
Cappuccino: $2.65
402 21st Ave. S
Nashville, Tn 37203
Often billed by the college crowd as either the epitome of all coffee shops or the establishment structure to be avoided like the plague, Starbucks has somehow made its way into the vocabulary of every college student in America.
Locally, the glow of familiarity and caffeine can be spotted once every 2 or 3 miles with the closest to Belmont being on 21st Avenue, about as close to Vanderbilt as you can get without putting on a polo and pearls. If you can conquer the awkwardness of invading “their turf,” the franchise can offer you everything you’ve come to love about coffee shops and maybe a little something more.
Part of Starbucks draw is in the basic fact that it is everywhere. You know walking in what is on the menu, how to pronounce the one drink you’ve come to love, and exactly what atmosphere to expect. Obviously, even Nashville’s Starbucks have the traditional fake-Italian size choices (Tall, Grande, and Venti) and all the “-ino” beverages you could ever want.
Seasonal drinks like Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Peppermint Mochas help to switch up the routine for habitual customers while unique choices like Chai Tea and a wide selection of pastries offer choices for every kind of coffee drinker (see sidebar to find out where you fall).
The vibe is pretty predictable as well. Green-aproned baristas and light-colored modern seating are typical to any Starbucks in the U.S.A. Unique to the 21st Avenue location, however, is the central stone fireplace surrounded by classy but comfortable furniture. Whether the weather warrants a real fire or not, the centerpiece of the store certainly adds an air of sophistication to the open, wireless space of your average Starbucks.
Perhaps surprising to many of its visitors, this particular Starbucks actually offers a ¢10 discount if you provide your own coffee mug. Who would have thought that “the man” of all coffee shops would ever give the little people such a gratifying reward?
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