Starbucks Tries Gimmick Again with Shipping Container Shop

Hot on the heels of fast food giants McDonalds and Burger King, the coffee purveyors at Starbucks have turned to architecture again in an attempt to distinguish themselves and crush your favorite neighborhood coffee shop. In Japan, the company opted for an open and organic design from local architect Kengo Kuma, but stateside, they're taking another tack. In an apparent reference to the global source of their ingredients, the company has constructed a drive-thru store in Tukwila, Wash. out of shipping containers. Dubbed the Reclamation Drive-Thru, the building incorporates rainwater harvesting into the LEED-certified design. The desire to recycle is certainly admirable, but only calls attention to the many miles your precious beans have travelled—and the many gallons of fuel used in the process.
· Starbucks Opens New Reclamation Drive Thru Made From Recycled Shipping Containers [Inhabitat]
· Not to be Outdone By Other Chains, Starbucks Gets New Digs [Curbed National]