The vibes at Starbucks are changing, and the company says that's exactly the point.
Across the United States and Canada, Starbucks is redesigning its coffeehouses
with softer seating, warmer interiors, locally inspired artwork and layouts meant to make stores feel more welcoming. Some locations are also getting smaller footprints, reflecting a broader rethink of what a Starbucks store should look and feel like.The effort is part of Starbucks' ongoing "Back to Starbucks" turnaround strategy, which launched in 2024 to address operational challenges and reconnect the company with the coffeehouse experience that helped build its brand. Since late 2025, Starbucks says it has redesigned more than 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada and plans
to reach at least 1,500 by the end of fiscal 2026.
The upgrades come as Starbucks is also shutting down more than 200 underperforming stores across North America, making the redesigns a key part of the company's push to improve performance and customer satisfaction.
Starbucks stores won't all look the same
Unlike previous store design strategies, Starbucks says its future coffeehouses won't follow a one-size-fits-all template.
Instead, stores are being customized to reflect their communities while maintaining a consistent Starbucks feel. The company says redesigned locations feature warmer color palettes, layered textures, community-inspired artwork and operational improvements such as pick-up areas that make mobile orders easier to find.
Some of the changes bring back features Starbucks had previously removed.
In 2025, the company acknowledged it had eliminated thousands of seats from stores over the years. Now, Starbucks is adding back more comfortable seating in an effort to create spaces where customers want to gather, work or spend time.
"We sat in each store and asked ourselves, 'What could we keep? What's great about this? What's the history of this place? What is this community like?'" Dawn Clark, Starbucks' senior vice president of coffeehouse design and concepts, said in comments posted on the company's website.
Where Starbucks has already redesigned stores
Starbucks says redesigned stores can already be found in markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago-area communities and Washington, D.C.
Among the examples highlighted by the company which you can find using the Starbucks store locator link:
- Austin, Texas: A store honoring service members, veterans and military families.
- Capitol Hill, Washington, DC: A location featuring locally inspired artwork, reclaimed wood floors and preserved architectural details.
- Winnetka, Illinois: A coffeehouse inside a historic building known as "The Laundry," featuring original brick walls and timber ceilings.
- Beverly Hills, California: A redesigned store with painted brick walls, local artwork, plush seating and velvet drapery.
Starbucks says early results have been encouraging. According to the company, customers are staying longer, visiting more frequently and providing positive feedback at redesigned stores in New York City and Southern California.
Which Starbucks stores could be next?
Starbucks says redesign efforts will continue through 2027.
The company is planning additional projects in several major markets, including:
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Dallas
- Houston
- Miami
- Nashville
- Orlando
- Seattle
- Washington, D.C.
Starbucks is also testing elements of the redesign program in Mexico, including Mexico City, Monterrey, Acapulco and Ensenada, according to a news release.
For customers, the changes mean future Starbucks visits could look a little different depending on where they live. But whether a store is large or small, urban or suburban, Starbucks says the goal is the same: make its coffeehouses feel more inviting and encourage people to stay awhile.
Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s trending team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Starbucks redesigning stores with cozier seating, new look
