Blogger Vows To Visit Every Starbucks In Manhattan
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man who recently moved to New York City has decided to explore his adopted hometown by going to every Starbucks in Manhattan and documenting the experience.
John McCourt is a self-described Starbucks addict, and has been for years. However, he said "things got serious" when he moved to New York late last year and discovered that there are 201 Starbucks in Manhattan alone.
"I've always been interested in Starbucks. I've always loved going to Starbucks. And I was just so surprised that they always say, you know, there's a Starbucks on every corner in big cities, and when I came here, lo and behold, it was totally true – there's Starbucks everywhere," McCourt told 1010 WINS. "So I figured, why not try exploring Manhattan through a familiar lens?"
He decided to make a mission of visiting every Starbucks in Manhattan to determine whether all Starbucks are really created equal.
"Starbucks is known for consistency across the nation, but in a city of 201 individual locations, one cannot help but notice the differences," he wrote on his blog, "Starbucks and the City." "It is my theory that Starbucks can serve as a guide to the neighborhoods of Manhattan, with each store a reflection of its surroundings. So I'm giving myself a year. One year of trying new drinks in new neighborhoods across the city."
So far, McCourt has documented his experiences at four Starbucks locations, beginning with 69th Street and First Avenue on the Upper East Side, which he called "probably one of the cleanest locations I've been to, although it may be a trick-of-light caused by the more modern furnishings."
He also noted the "eclectic décor" with "dark espresso wood, old faded mirrors and mismatched chairs" at the location at 52nd Street and Eighth Avenue, and the assorted artworks and images of the coffee roasting process at the location at Spring and Crosby streets in SoHo.
McCourt so far has also made stops at the Starbucks locations on Greenwich and Bank streets in the West Village, for which he wrote, "Whereas most locations in the city seem to sweep you in then urge you out, this little gem almost begs you to stay."
In case McCourt decides to expand his mission beyond Manhattan, worldwide, there are 20,366 Starbucks. Nationwide, there are 13,123.
Would you ever try visiting all the Starbucks locations in Manhattan? Leave your comments below...
