This is a Starbucks location located INSIDE of a Hy-Vee! The page doesn't show that anywhere, so I want to make sure you know! :) When looking at the front side of the building, the Starbucks is located closer to the right-hand side near the deli area and AWAY from the wine and spirits part of the building. As for the location itself, it's one of my favorites. Unlike a lot of in-store Starbucks locations (like in Target or Hy-Vee), this one isn't actually in its own segregated area. It has a tiny spot that it "has", but it's only a couple feet away from the actual aisles themselves. It gives a really neat feeling to it, but at the same time, it also cuts away from the actual "room" of the store. That means there are only two tables, with two chairs each, in the area, and it can be hard to get a full-sized Hy-Vee cart around here. It doesn't really seem like this location was designed for you to "sit and chat" like most Starbucks. That being said, this is still one of my favorites. I love being able to stop into Hy-Vee, get groceries, and have my Starbucks ready to go. When lines are short in Hy-Vee and I only have a few items to buy, I'll even come order my drink here, go check out, and they'll have my drink ready for me when I'm done checking out. There usually isn't much of a wait to get your drink, but usually there are only two people working, so if there's a random rush of people for some reason, they can get a bit backlogged. I've never had much of an issue, though. I came around here often enough that the staff actually remembered my name and my drink. Most of the staff has moved on from then, but they still will give me a smile and a wave if I walk by. My drink is always very similar - even if different baristas make it. At other locations, I usually have a bit of variance in the taste, but I can always expect it to taste correctly and to be made well when I shop here. I don't think I've ever had an issue with the taste of my drink here, and I've ordered here hundreds of times. (It might have hit the thousands, honestly, over the last five years?) As a random note, this location seems to have a wider range of teas than some of the other locations in Ames. This location used to have a lot of rewards programs including one that worked with the Fuel Saver card or a punch card. Both rewards programs have been ceased. I'm really sad as it was part of what made this location so much fun to go to. Notes: You could potentially use the Hy-Vee deli area seating as seating for chilling and lounging though I'm unsure how orthodox that would be. Hy-Vee has bike parking outside. Hy-vee also has outdoor benches and tables that are out year-round that are rarely busy, so you could definitely use that as a lounging area to talk with someone while drinking your coffee. Final thoughts: I love this location. It's always clean, and while it doesn't have much room to chill or lounge, the employees have always been super friendly, and I love that I can count on them to get my drink right every time. Not only that, but it's great to pick up my coffee after my shopping. I'm sad they don't have the rewards programs anymore, but it's still a great location.
Kayla B.
This is a Starbucks location located INSIDE of a Hy-Vee! The page doesn't show that anywhere, so I want to make sure you know! :) When looking at the front side of the building, the Starbucks is located closer to the right-hand side near the deli area and AWAY from the wine and spirits part of the building. As for the location itself, it's one of my favorites. Unlike a lot of in-store Starbucks locations (like in Target or Hy-Vee), this one isn't actually in its own segregated area. It has a tiny spot that it "has", but it's only a couple feet away from the actual aisles themselves. It gives a really neat feeling to it, but at the same time, it also cuts away from the actual "room" of the store. That means there are only two tables, with two chairs each, in the area, and it can be hard to get a full-sized Hy-Vee cart around here. It doesn't really seem like this location was designed for you to "sit and chat" like most Starbucks. That being said, this is still one of my favorites. I love being able to stop into Hy-Vee, get groceries, and have my Starbucks ready to go. When lines are short in Hy-Vee and I only have a few items to buy, I'll even come order my drink here, go check out, and they'll have my drink ready for me when I'm done checking out. There usually isn't much of a wait to get your drink, but usually there are only two people working, so if there's a random rush of people for some reason, they can get a bit backlogged. I've never had much of an issue, though. I came around here often enough that the staff actually remembered my name and my drink. Most of the staff has moved on from then, but they still will give me a smile and a wave if I walk by. My drink is always very similar - even if different baristas make it. At other locations, I usually have a bit of variance in the taste, but I can always expect it to taste correctly and to be made well when I shop here. I don't think I've ever had an issue with the taste of my drink here, and I've ordered here hundreds of times. (It might have hit the thousands, honestly, over the last five years?) As a random note, this location seems to have a wider range of teas than some of the other locations in Ames. This location used to have a lot of rewards programs including one that worked with the Fuel Saver card or a punch card. Both rewards programs have been ceased. I'm really sad as it was part of what made this location so much fun to go to. Notes: You could potentially use the Hy-Vee deli area seating as seating for chilling and lounging though I'm unsure how orthodox that would be. Hy-Vee has bike parking outside. Hy-vee also has outdoor benches and tables that are out year-round that are rarely busy, so you could definitely use that as a lounging area to talk with someone while drinking your coffee. Final thoughts: I love this location. It's always clean, and while it doesn't have much room to chill or lounge, the employees have always been super friendly, and I love that I can count on them to get my drink right every time. Not only that, but it's great to pick up my coffee after my shopping. I'm sad they don't have the rewards programs anymore, but it's still a great location.
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