Retailers have certainly become attracted to mass transit of late. We've seen pop-up shops in subways, virtual shopping walls using QR codes and, of course, retailers have made great use of high-traffic airport, bus and train terminals. The latest news on the retail/transit connection front is that Starbucks has opened a full-service coffee shop on board a Swiss train.
Starbucks' newest coffee shop will be on two floors with enough capacity to seat 50 people. The first floor will be used for ordering and takeout while the top will have seating for customers/passengers. The shop, which the coffee chain has emphasized is just a test concept, will take two trips a day between Geneva and St. Gallen over a nine month period beginning on Nov. 21.
"While Starbucks high quality coffee, store partners, service and experience remain consistent in our stores, we're tailoring design to meet the needs of customers and creating more local relevancy by taking inspiration from local communities, the street, the city, the local coffee culture and in this case, the rail station," said Kris Engskov, president Europe Middle East & Africa at Starbucks, in a statement.
Making a Starbucks work on a train is no easy feat, according to Liz Muller, director of concept design for the company.
"We had to combine functionality and beautiful design, while taking into account a variety of factors such as the constant movement of the train, space limitation and stringent safety regulations," Ms. Muller said. "This is one of the smallest espresso bars and stores we have ever designed and is a result of a unique collaboration of experts, including local designers and engineers from SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)."