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At the corner of Saratoga Street and St. Paul Place, the java jolt is coming.
Workers are putting the finishing touches on a Starbucks expected to open Nov. 2 at the Embassy Suites, manager Tony DeMaio said Wednesday.
The 2,200-square foot coffee shop will feature the usual house and imported coffee blends, lattes, cappuccinos, teas and espresso drinks in the brand’s inimitable short, tall, grande and vente sizes. A small menu of breakfast pastries and sandwiches as well as luncheon fare and assorted sweets will also be sold.
The new Starbucks was once a busy delicatessen that was part of the former Tremont Plaza Hotel, which for years attracted a lunchtime crowd of downtown workers and hotel guests from around the U.S.
The conversion has been dramatic. The shop has been completely gutted and remodeled to resemble a modern European café designed by local architect Peter Fillat. Behind a stained and rustic pine countertop, stainless steel coffee machines await a fire-up and chocolate brown tiles reflect a sleek style.
An Italian leather seating group of chairs and a loveseat will greet customers as they enter the shop, followed by a long community-style table with comfy chairs. Other seating areas are also in the works, DeMaio said.
A staff of 20 has been hired, he added, and will begin training in the near future for opening day.
The new downtown location is in good company: Starbucks has more than 18,000 coffee shops throughout the world, its website says.
