Amsterdam saw the opening of “The Bank,” a Starbucks concept store, this March. 

From a recent Starbucks news release:

Designed to function as laboratory with a ‘Slow’ Coffee Theatre, hyper local design, floating community gathering spaces and in-store baking, Starbucks - The Bank is a glimpse into Starbucks vision to the future. […]

“With this store I was inspired not only by the role 17th century Dutch traders played in bringing coffee to the world, but also by the place The Netherlands holds today as a design and creative capital,” said Liz Muller, Concept Design director.  “My vision was to bring the space to life by celebrating local history and tradition while looking to the future by giving it a sense of theatre and discovery.”

The Bank’s walls are lined with antique Delft tiles, bicycle inner tubes, and wooden gingerbread mold, while repurposed Dutch oak was used for benches, tables, and the layered block ceiling (itself compsed of 1,876 pieces of oak). More than 35 local artists and craftsmen were consulted in its creation.

At 4,500 square feet, the space is indeed beautiful. I’m curious to see how Amsterdam takes to it - the New York Times recently explored Starbucks’s struggle to market itself to European cafe culture, and it’s an interesting read on the strategies behind American versus European consumption.