Squaw makes list of unique Starbucks locations

By Marcy Franklin, TheDailyMeal.com

It’s been said that you’re never farther than 170 miles from a Starbucks in America — and we can assume that will become only more true as Starbucks continues its global domination. As of July 2012, there were 17,651 Starbucks locations worldwide, with an additional 1,500 slated to open in 2013. In fact, the company just recently announced that it would be opening its 1,000th location in Japan this summer.

And while a Starbucks location has a certain aesthetic — dark wood paneling, Pantone-green accents, chic and comfortable seating for a true coffeehouse vibe — we can all admit that our Starbucks locations have a big-box store, cookie-cutter feel to them. So when we find uniquely designed Starbucks stores from Singapore to Amsterdam, we get excited for the unusual. With innovative design, unique architecture that fits within the city’s landscape and unusual concepts, these are the Starbucks worth visiting.

Ski-in/ski-out Starbucks (Squaw Valley)

When it opened last February, the Squaw Valley location earned the distinction of being the world’s first ski-in/ski-out Starbucks. Located at a staggering elevation of 8,000 feet, it’s essentially the skier’s answer to a drive-through Starbucks. Upon its opening, Squaw Valley President and CEO Andy Wirth explained the concept’s appeal: “Nowhere else in the world can skiers and riders enjoy a delicious Starbucks coffee without missing a beat on the slopes.”

Other unique locations:

Kobe, Japan

Starbucks Flagship (New Delhi, India)

Starbucks Porto Chino (Bangkok, Thailand)

Starbucks Cineleisure Orchard (Singapore)

Starboxer, USS Boxer (California)

Starbucks Xintiandi (Shanghai, China)

Starbucks The Bank (Amsterdam)

Shipping Container Starbucks (Tukwila, Wash.)

Fukuoka Starbucks (Fukuoka, Japan)

Allure of the Seas Starbucks (Royal Caribbean International)

Xi’an Starbucks (Xi’an, China)

Starbucks at the Ibn Battuta Mall (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Breckenridge Starbucks (Breckenridge, Colo.).