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June 28, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 29, 2004 Starbucks in triplicate By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings Robin Hernandez was one of the first Ashlanders to sample the coffee confections at the Starbucks on Siskiyou Boulevard this morning. Buying a cup on opening day, Micaah Shellhorn, of Sacramento, makes a purchase today from the latest Starbucks to open in Ashland. Satsuki Doi | Ashland Daily Tidings Hernandez, who normally grabs her coffee at the Starbucks in Albertson's, purchased a Mocha Valencia before heading to her job as a substitute teacher in Ashland. The store opened its doors to customers for the first time at 6 a.m. "I think it's cool to have a Starbucks here," Hernandez said. "I like their quality and consistency. You know what you're going to get." A cup of coffee is a perfect way to start the day, she said. "It wakes me up," said Hernandez, who prefers sweeter coffee drinks. "I don't like regular coffee. I'm a coffee wimp." After two months of work to turn the former Leo's Bistro Grill & Coffee Bar next to Southern Oregon University into the newest Starbucks, folks like Hernandez savored its opening this morning. Around 7:30 a.m., business was steady as a bartista poured coffee into cups as another employee steamed milk, while customers were deep in conversation or eyed the trays of pastries in the display case. The new store joins the downtown location and a kiosk inside Albertson's. Starbucks opened with one store in Seattle in 1971, growing to more than 7,500 locations across the world. Steve Ogo, Southern Oregon District manager for Starbucks, has said the company opened the new location due to direct responses to the wishes of existing customers. Many were college students who wanted something near the university, he said. For four hours on Wednesday, the Siskiyou Boulevard Starbucks served free drinks to welcome the community to the store, said store manager Maisie Vanderhoof. While the first hour was slow, once word got out, the business was packed. "It was a way to let everyone know we're in the area and that this is their store," she said. "We're thrilled to be here." Being so near SOU, Vanderhoof hopes students will make Starbucks a destination. "I hope they use it as their gathering place," she said. "It's not home or school, but people feel comfortable here." The new location will be open until 11 p.m. six days a week "mainly to be there for the college students in the evening" Vanderhoof said. The new Starbucks is located at 1474 Siskiyou Boulevard. The store is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m Monday through Friday; 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays; and 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams