I recently came across an interesting recruitment advertisement for Starbucks Coffee Asia-Pacific in the 15th May edition of the Classified Post (page 38). Starbucks are seeking design directors and manager to lead their design teams in a bid to…

“ensure that newly opened and renovated outlets reflect the character of their neighbourhoods”.

In a picture printed with the short article, a store with what looks like Chinese looking dark coloured wooden chairs and green sofas are in place instead of their usual light coloured wooden chairs and purplish brown sofas. It doesn’t say where the store is but it could be anywhere from China to Korea to Hong Kong.

Seeing this reminded me of one of their earlier joint venture with Graphic Airlines and G.O.D. for the Duddell Street store in Central, Hong Kong.

I only discovered the innards of this store several months after I first spied it from the street and loved the entrance way. It has got a very European feel to its entrance, a small bridge leading to the door from the middle of a staircase. From which you can see comfortable looking settees and sofas through the large bay window but if you do not look closely, the Bing Sutt setting at the rear part of the store is not obvious from beyond.

The artwork pictured was donated by Graphic Airlines for an auction and is no longer in-store. The theme of the auction was “Life Happens Over Coffee”.

The rest of the store, as designed by G.O.D. is still there and for the location, some reviews and loads of pictures taken by other foodies, Open Rice has a page on the Duddell St Store.

I personally have never tried the specials in the store because the few times I’ve been there so far, they are either out of stock or I am still full from a prior meal. But, it is worth it to note that they are the only Starbucks, even in all of Hong Kong, to serve a special trio that consists of an Egg Tart, a Pineapple Bun, Chicken Bun – all coffee flavoured though reviews suggests that the coffee flavouring is very mild and is nearly undetectable.

Picture courtesy of a fellow food enthusiast called V3F from Open Rice! =D