Taunted by Starbucks
My love for Starbucks in China, I admit, borders on ridiculous. Starbucks, though, has been here for me in China since my very first day in Shenzhen. Alone with Myles in China, knowing no one but my husband who was away for ten or twelve hours a day, at least I could go to Starbucks to feel less lonely. Then in those muddled grief-filled days of 2007, Starbucks was what got me dressed and out of the house many days. In both Shenzhen and Beijing, and every other city we've been to in between, Starbucks is usually comfortable seats, a non-smoking environment, a place heated or air-conditioned according to the outside temperature and not the calendar, a clean restroom for small children, and a great dose of mood-elevating caffeine.
So in the spring when the kids and I saw that a Starbucks was due to open in the Aeon Mall near us (and by near us I mean less than about 30 minutes by metro or car), we were--no surprise--excited. It would make going to this mall less of a chore and more of a reward outing. We saw the storefront noting a Starbucks under construction in June, just before we left for the US. Surely it would be finished over the summer, we thought.
We had been back in China only a few days in August when Myles. Brigid, and I made our first trip back to the Aeon Mall. All around the mall, advertisements for Starbucks Coffee hung from the high ceiling and were plastered on the support columns. That was promising. The kids were practically running to get to the Starbucks when they stopped in front of the locked doors. The store was definitely finished, with all the equipment and furnishings expected in a Starbucks. But most of the lights were out. It was not open yet. What we did see that encouraged us were inside two people were working at unwrapping coffee cups and lining them up on the merchandise shelves. Surely this meant opening was imminent. I thought I might still be able to grab some coffee in comfort at the Barista Coffee, but they had already closed up shop, their space converted into a clothing store.
A few weeks later, we were back at the mall to buy much-needed bookshelves. Again, we hoped we'd be able to enjoy the new Starbucks. The kids darted from the main entrance to the Starbucks, only to find it was still not open.
Earlier this week, after the week-long October holiday, the kids and I went again to the mall. We were disappointed but not really surprised to find it was still not open.
In Zara, buying the kids some clothes, I asked one of the employees if they had heard when the Starbucks was going to open. The lady laughed, saying everyone has been asking that same question.
I am beginning to suspect this shell of a Starbucks exists purely to taunt me. So close, and yet never to be.
So in the spring when the kids and I saw that a Starbucks was due to open in the Aeon Mall near us (and by near us I mean less than about 30 minutes by metro or car), we were--no surprise--excited. It would make going to this mall less of a chore and more of a reward outing. We saw the storefront noting a Starbucks under construction in June, just before we left for the US. Surely it would be finished over the summer, we thought.
We had been back in China only a few days in August when Myles. Brigid, and I made our first trip back to the Aeon Mall. All around the mall, advertisements for Starbucks Coffee hung from the high ceiling and were plastered on the support columns. That was promising. The kids were practically running to get to the Starbucks when they stopped in front of the locked doors. The store was definitely finished, with all the equipment and furnishings expected in a Starbucks. But most of the lights were out. It was not open yet. What we did see that encouraged us were inside two people were working at unwrapping coffee cups and lining them up on the merchandise shelves. Surely this meant opening was imminent. I thought I might still be able to grab some coffee in comfort at the Barista Coffee, but they had already closed up shop, their space converted into a clothing store.
A few weeks later, we were back at the mall to buy much-needed bookshelves. Again, we hoped we'd be able to enjoy the new Starbucks. The kids darted from the main entrance to the Starbucks, only to find it was still not open.
Earlier this week, after the week-long October holiday, the kids and I went again to the mall. We were disappointed but not really surprised to find it was still not open.
In Zara, buying the kids some clothes, I asked one of the employees if they had heard when the Starbucks was going to open. The lady laughed, saying everyone has been asking that same question.
I am beginning to suspect this shell of a Starbucks exists purely to taunt me. So close, and yet never to be.
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