Starbucks is pioneering the ‘coffeehouse of the future’ with comfy chairs and couches as its CEO pushes to reimagines stores

Travel & Leisure·StarbucksStarbucks is pioneering the ‘coffeehouse of the future’ with comfy chairs and couches as its CEO pushes to reimagines storesBY Marco Quiroz-GutierrezBY Marco Quiroz-GutierrezReporterMarco Quiroz-GutierrezReporterRole: ReporterMarco Quiroz-Gutierrez is a reporter for Fortune covering general news

SEE FULL BIOStarbucks' store redesigns in New York align with CEO Brian Niccol's "Back to Starbucks" plan

Courtesy of Starbucks Coffee CompanyStarbucks is introducing premium features, including comfortable couches, warm lighting, and revamped wall art in redesigned stores starting in New York and Southern California

The changes align with CEO Brian Niccol’s “Back to Starbucks” plan, which aims to get customers to stick around locations longer, including by adding ceramic mugs for some in-house orders and bringing back the condiment bar in U

CEO Brian Niccol has pushed for Starbucks to be more inviting to customers, and now some of its locations are seeing major changes aligned with his vision

Starting in New York and Southern California, Starbucks is enhancing its stores with premium features aimed at cultivating a “coffeehouse vibe,” as part of Niccol’s Back to Starbucks plan

Among the changes, Starbucks is adding cozier seating, warmer lighting, and locally inspired art to try to give each redesigned location more of a unique feel

Courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Company At a Bridgehampton, NY, location that is among the first to be remodeled, cozy chairs and couches, accentuated by dark, Starbucks-themed green walls and hardwood floors give the location a distinct look

A redesigned store in East Hampton, NY also stands out for its wall art paying homage to the town’s seaside location and nautical roots

Courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Company Courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Company The redesigned Starbucks locations are part of Niccol’s plan to make Starbucks a place where customers want to spend time

Apart from the redesigns, some of the changes include offering ceramic mugs for some in-house orders, as well as bringing back the condiment bar for customers to add their own milk and sugar to drinks

The company is also instructing its baristas to warmly acknowledge customers, to help them feel welcome

Starbucks has also made big strategic changes to imve efficiency, including cutting down on its extensive food and drink and doing away with some options for drink customizations

A new order sequencing algorithm piloted during the first quarter has also helped the company reduce wait times, with three-quarter of orders at test locations arriving in under four minutes at peak

Courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Company The big changes Niccol has spearheaded have drawn praise from Starbucks founder Howard Schultz, who said he “did a cartwheel” after hearing the CEO’s Back to Starbucks plan

Niccol said in an April note, however, that he was confident in his turnaround plan. “We have a lot of work ahead, but we are on the right track and moving quickly,” Niccol said

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