A sign outside the coffee shop assures customers the closure is only temporary.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Your alarm goes off, you get ready, and you leave for school, work, or whatever your appointment a little bit early to get a cup of coffee to start your day, only to find that the Pittsfield Starbucks, located at 555 Hubbard Ave., is closed.
The sign has been removed, and the drive-through is blocked, but Starbucks coffee addicts need not worry — this closure is only temporary.
The coffee shop closed its doors temporarily on July 7 to undergo a standard renovation with the chain's new Siren System, a Starbucks spokesperson said.
According to the signage, the reopening date is projected to be Aug. 21.
According to its website, the Siren System is part of the chain's Starbucks Reinvention plan, which aims to improve the experience for partners and staff by responding to changing needs and increasing demands.
"As a standard course of business, we continually evaluate our store portfolio using various criteria to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers," the spokesperson said.
The chain's article on unveiling its innovations said, "Over the past few years, the number of cold beverages ordered has surpassed the number of hot drinks year-round. And, two in three drinks ordered have requested customizations such as extra espresso shots and flavorings."
The new Siren System streamlines beverage production and provides a smoother experience for baristas and customers, the article said.
The system "features a custom ice dispenser, milk-dispensing system, and new, faster blenders all located within reach of a barista, reducing bending and heavy lifting. It also eliminates the need to move back and forth behind the service bar and eases congestion in a crowded, busy space," it said.
The new system reduces the time it takes to make a frappuccino beverage and a grande pink drink and will also batch-cook breakfast sandwiches to reduce wait times for customers in an effort to decrease drive-thru and customer wait times.
Some equipment included in the system will reduce the time and required steps to make coffee.
Starbucks' article on its recent innovation said its newest technology includes the Clover Vertica coffee machine, which can serve freshly ground and brewed cups of coffee in under 30 seconds without the need for paper filters.
In addition to its Cold-Pressed Technology, which is a "patented method of extracting coffee with low-pressure immersion, without even heating water," making the coffee available "in a matter of seconds."
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Pittsfield Council Approves 'Green' Items
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council approved a couple of "green" items during its meeting last week.
This includes more than $20,000 from the state for recycling initiatives, as well as cell phone recycling automated machines at Cumberland Farms on First Street and in Market 32 at 555 Hubbard Ave.
Pittsfield received $21,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Sustainable Materials Recovery Program, which reinvests a portion of Waste Energy Certificates into recycling programs. More than $4.2 million was distributed across the state this year.
WECs are tradable, unit-specific certificates (1 per MWh) generated by qualified waste-to-energy facilities.
"It's supposed to be this self-sustaining cycle of you bring money in, you can continue reducing trash, increasing recycling, increasing diversion from the landfill, and at the same time, you bring money in and support that effort," Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales explained.
In the last two years, the city has seen a slight increase in funds because of its categorization as an environmental justice community, and Morales would like to increase that number even more. Communities of Pittsfield’s size can see up to $50,000 based on a point system for recycling efforts.
The city received points for bulky items, curbside recycling regulation, diversity, equity, and inclusion, organics, and waste prevention outreach and education. These funds are used to purchase products such as the composting bins that Pittsfield sells to residents for half the price.
Morales reported that the city has been saving funds to start a recycling program staffed by a contractor, but that is not being presented "in any way" at this point.
The First's opening was announced on Facebook by Mayor Peter Marchetti, writing that it wouldn't have been possible without the city's ARPA funds, committed in 2022, and all of the partners who stepped up.
click for more
In the worst-case scenario, the town could be forced to reduce staff if projected increases in the school budget, health insurance, and other uncontrollable costs occur. click for more