For years coffee aficionados have been able to get their morning fuel at the Starbucks west of the Palmetto Expressway, but traffic concerns in Miami Lakes prompted the additional location at 7433 Miami Lakes Drive within the newly renovated Cypress Village Shopping Center.
“We decided on this location in order to target the Miami Lakes residents on the other side of the Palmetto,” said store manager Christian Martinez. “Traffic is very heavy in the morning so it is not easy for many residents to cross under the Palmetto to reach the Starbucks on the west side and then double back to catch the highway.”
The new Starbucks, which is housed in a new building where the former Blockbuster store waslocated, is an addition, not a move from the west side location at 8012 N.W. 154 Street in the Park Centre Shops.
“The west side location is a longtime staple of the community and will not be closing down, despite rumors,” said Martinez. “Both locations will stay open to serve the Miami Lakes community.”
The east side location also features a drive-thru, a perk for time-strapped commuters to grab their coffee and go.
The east side location held a grand opening in April where company partners, friends, family and several members from the Miami Lakes Town Council, including Mayor Manny Cid, attended a ribbon cutting event.
The coffee shop boasts ample indoor and outdoor seating, a mish-mash of bar tables and smaller secluded tables, and despite the cosmopolitan nature of Starbucks franchises, locals have found a comfortable home here, fitting for the quaintness of a small town.
“I am a Miami Lakes resident and I actually walk to the store from my home in under five minutes,” said Martinez. “I feel very fortunate to manage a store in my own neighborhood. I feel like every customer that walks in is a neighbor of mine and I have the privilege to connect with them and delight them on a daily basis.”
Store hours and drive-thru hours are 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Friday and Saturday when closing time is at 10:30 p.m. Those looking for a relief from the sweltering summer heat while still indulging in a pick-me-up need look no further than the best-selling item on the menu: the Cold Brew.
“The Cold Brew is steeped for 20 hours and makes for a really smooth cup of coffee,” said Martinez. “We do sell it while supplies last, however, since the brewing process takes so long, we usually sell out daily, so we encourage all customers to come early.”
Another favorite, Mallorca Sweet Bread, is a regional specialty for South Florida and is topped with powdered sugar. Summertime beverages on the menu now include the returning S’mores Frappuccino, and the new Midnight Mint Mocha Frappuccino. In the next two months, the stores will be releasing the all new drink flavors Berry Prickly Pear Frappuccino and the Mango Pineapple Frappuccino.
“We have had a wonderfully positive reception from the community,” said Martinez. “Many of our neighbors have been expressing their excitement at having a new Starbucks with a drive-thru right by their homes.”
To grab a cup of joe or for something a little more eclectic, visit the new east side Starbucks of Miami Lakes.