Today, your neighborhood Starbucks is closing.  Beginning at 5:30 p.m., baristas in the coffee giant’s 7,100 stores will receive “emergency intensive remedial training,” ordered by CEO Howard Schultz, according to an AOL blog.

Recently, complaints have arisen that Starbucks baristas don’t know how to make a decent latte anymore.  Consumers complain the chain has morphed from a place that once offered a cup of coffee made exactly right to one now famous for its automatic machines.

Tonight, for three hours, baristas will learn how to make a perfect shot, steam milk and wipe the milk steamer before switching from dairy to soy, and not burn coffee.  Also on the agenda is a milk-steaming technique that allows baristas to free pour the milk without holding back foam with a spoon, as well as a new procedure for pulling shots of espresso.

So, I say grab a cup of coffee beforehand and then grab one after and see if the results are different and let me know.  I’m not sure about all the Starbucks around town, but I’ll definitely commend the downtown store.  They make a mean soy misto and always deliver a smile.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008 at 9:57 am and is filed under Downtown Jacksonville, News, Retail. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.