Starbucks community initiative, Queens Starbucks community initiative, Queens
Starbucks community initiative, Queens Starbucks community initiative, Queens
Starbucks community initiative, Queens Starbucks community initiative, Queens

A grande gesture

25 : 03 : 2016 Conviviality Culture : Starbucks : Community

New York – Starbucks’ latest outpost looks to serve its community more than just a cup of coffee.

  • The store offers on-site training to teenagers and young adults in the Jamaica neighbourhood in Queens
  • The nationwide initiative will be rolled out across 14 US locations

At first glance, the store looks like a normal Starbucks, right down to its menu of foamy Macchiatos and frozen Frappuccinos. But the space features an extra room designed specifically for educational workshops and training.

The brand, in collaboration with Queens Community House and YMCA’s Y Roads Centers, will use the space to offer customer service and retail training. 

‘Throughout Starbucks’ 45 years, we have challenged ourselves to create opportunities for our partners and the communities we serve,’ says Rodney Hines, director of global responsibility at Starbucks. ‘By making a long-term investment in the form of new stores, we hope to play a meaningful role in supporting ongoing efforts to transform these vibrant communities.’

The Big Picture

The arrival of a Starbucks store is often seen as a sign of approaching gentrification, but the brand’s new initiative extends an olive branch to the community and offers educational opportunities not normally associated with a global brand. For more on brands and retailers that are embracing the community, see our Conviviality Culture macrotrend.

Discover More Daily Signals
Mongolia brings ancient dress systems to the Winter Olympics

Daily Signals

Mongolia brings ancient dress systems to the Winter Olympics

Mongolia has unveiled the ceremonial and casual outfits for its team at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, using the global sporting sta...
Sport : Fashion : Luxury
Foresight Friday: Alison Farrington, foresight content manager

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Alison Farrington, foresight content manager

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues and ideas we’re all talking about. This week, foresight content manager Alison ...
China : Lunar New Year : Foresight Friday
Stat: Gen Z switches off the news feed

Daily Signals

Stat: Gen Z switches off the news feed

New research from Adobe Express points to a shift in how information is accessed in the UK. Just 8% of Gen Z adults consume news content, according...
Media : Technology : Statistic
Can mixed-reality theatre re-invent the stage?

Daily Signals

Can mixed-reality theatre re-invent the stage?

An Ark, a mixed-reality theatre experience at The Shed in New York, is exploring how digital technology can transform live performance while preser...
Immersive Theatre : Media : Entertainment
Prada excavates the past to shape menswear’s future

Daily Signals

Prada excavates the past to shape menswear’s future

Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada’s autumn/winter 2026 menswear collection presented at Fondazione Prada in Milan, Italy, was an exercise in layered arc...
Fashion : Luxury : Society
Stat: Youth employment anxiety rises as AI threatens entry-level roles

Daily Signals

Stat: Youth employment anxiety rises as AI threatens entry-level roles

A growing majority of young people in the UK are entering work with deep anxiety about their career prospects, according to new research from the K...
Workplace : Society : Statistic
Will.i.am launches Trinity EV as AI-first solution for urban mobility

Daily Signals

Will.i.am launches Trinity EV as AI-first solution for urban mobility

Musician and entrepreneur Will.i.am has launched Trinity, a single-passenger, three-wheeled electric vehicle (EV) that is designed around an AI agent.
Mobility : Technology : Sustainability
Gap creates chief entertainment officer role to drive fashiontainment

Daily Signals

Gap creates chief entertainment officer role to drive fashiontainment

Gap Inc has appointed Pam Kaufman as its first-ever chief entertainment officer, a newly created role designed to develop a ‘fashiontainment’ platf...
Fashion : Entertainment : Media
Stat: Nearly a third of children starting school are struggling with basic analogue skills

Daily Signals

Stat: Nearly a third of children starting school are struggling with basic analogue skills

Nearly a third of children starting reception in England and Wales are struggling with basic analogue skills, revealing a widening gap between home...
Screen Time : Technology : Child Development
How building Bishoftu Airport positions Ethiopia as African travel epicentre

Daily Signals

How building Bishoftu Airport positions Ethiopia as African travel epicentre

Ethiopia has broken ground at Bishoftu International Airport, a new mega-hub designed by Zaha Hadid Architects that aims to become the largest avia...
Travel : Infrastructure : Airport
You have 2 free Daily Signals remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN