Starbucks Reserve Roastery
Seattle, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 2024
Starbucks Reserve Roastery (Seattle)
1. Concept and History
The First One: The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle was the first of these global locations, opening in December 2014 in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
A Coffee Sanctuary: Designed to be a "theme park" or "Willy Wonka factory of coffee," it's a large (15,000 square feet) and theatrical space dedicated to an immersive coffee experience.
Purpose: These stores were created to compete with high-end coffee retailers and allow Starbucks to expand its rare, small-lot coffee program called Starbucks Reserve.
2. The Experience
On-Site Roasting: It is a fully functional roasting facility. Visitors can see and smell the entire journey of the bean, from the green coffee bags to the live roasting process and the shipment to other Reserve stores via overhead pneumatic tubes.
Exclusive Offerings: Unlike standard coffee shops, it offers:
Rare Coffees: Brews using Starbucks Reserve beans from around the world through various methods (Siphon, Chemex, Pour-over, etc.).
Premium Food: Typically includes a bar and bakery with fresh Italian fare from the Princi brand.
Coffee Cocktails: Some locations feature the Arriviamo Bar, serving unique coffee-inspired alcoholic beverages and cocktails.
Education and Design: The space includes a coffee library and showcases the roasting equipment with an industrial-meets-rustic design, serving as a major tourist attraction in its own right.
3. Current Status (Important)
It's important to note that despite being the original flagship location, the Seattle Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Capitol Hill permanently closed in 2025 (according to the latest news reports), which was a surprise to many. If a traveler is looking for a Starbucks Roastery today, they would need to visit one of the other global locations (like Chicago, New York, Milan, Tokyo, or Shanghai).
Starbucks Reserve Roastery
Seattle, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 2024
Starbucks Reserve Roastery (Seattle)
1. Concept and History
The First One: The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle was the first of these global locations, opening in December 2014 in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
A Coffee Sanctuary: Designed to be a "theme park" or "Willy Wonka factory of coffee," it's a large (15,000 square feet) and theatrical space dedicated to an immersive coffee experience.
Purpose: These stores were created to compete with high-end coffee retailers and allow Starbucks to expand its rare, small-lot coffee program called Starbucks Reserve.
2. The Experience
On-Site Roasting: It is a fully functional roasting facility. Visitors can see and smell the entire journey of the bean, from the green coffee bags to the live roasting process and the shipment to other Reserve stores via overhead pneumatic tubes.
Exclusive Offerings: Unlike standard coffee shops, it offers:
Rare Coffees: Brews using Starbucks Reserve beans from around the world through various methods (Siphon, Chemex, Pour-over, etc.).
Premium Food: Typically includes a bar and bakery with fresh Italian fare from the Princi brand.
Coffee Cocktails: Some locations feature the Arriviamo Bar, serving unique coffee-inspired alcoholic beverages and cocktails.
Education and Design: The space includes a coffee library and showcases the roasting equipment with an industrial-meets-rustic design, serving as a major tourist attraction in its own right.
3. Current Status (Important)
It's important to note that despite being the original flagship location, the Seattle Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Capitol Hill permanently closed in 2025 (according to the latest news reports), which was a surprise to many. If a traveler is looking for a Starbucks Roastery today, they would need to visit one of the other global locations (like Chicago, New York, Milan, Tokyo, or Shanghai).