23.5 Degrees, Starbucks first UK franchisee, has announced the opening of its 90th store in only nine years since partnering with the brand and launching its initial store in Hampshire in 2013.
23.5 Degrees new Starbucks store in Blaydon.
The new outlet in Blaydon, Gateshead, is part of 23.5 Degrees ambitious expansion programme of 300 Starbuck stores by 2027.
Mark Hepburn, managing director of 23.5 Degrees, said: “In just over nine years we have built this company one store at a time. We could not have achieved our success without our investors, contractors and Starbucks itself. Most importantly, I’d like to thank our partners who have delivered day in day out to ensure we continue to serve our customers and build the business.”
23.5 Degrees said it is continues to seek both freehold and leasehold drive through opportunities on main arterial routes and will also consider drive-to destinations and high street units with a minimum size of 1,500 sq. ft.
Starbucks store interior.
Hepburn added: “We’re able to move fast on great new sites. Our use of modular design and build enables our landlords to have our stores trading faster. We’re keeping our foot on the gas and plan to reach 300 stores in the next five years.”
The company explained that the new store at Blaydon became possible by repurposing an existing building, which helped to reduce its carbon footprint as well as speeding up the planning and build process.
23.5 Degrees highlights that it has invested more than £31.5m in the UK economy to date through building and buying stores and that it employs more than 1,500 people across its network.
Posted: 3rd September, 2022