“Can I get a Lancer Frappuccino?” was something Starbucks manager Miguel Medina heard a lot of following the opening of the new store adjacent to Thousand Oaks High School.
This new location has been very successful, with students, teachers, and parents popping in for drinks and pastries.
“So far it’s been really great,” Medina said. “Everyone’s been nothing but nice and friendly to us in this community.”
When plans were first being made for the store’s construction, there was lots of concern from the community regarding traffic. With the store being on the corner of a busy intersection, people were worried that the pre-existing congestion would be made worse.
“It has not been as bad as people thought it would be,” Medina said. He explained that the store is a little busy at the beginning of the day with students and adults trying to get their morning coffee, but it’s “nothing to what we expected.”
With the new Starbucks being so close to the school, it has served as a popular hangout spot for students. Supervisor Tanna Ceehoffer shared that the location of the store and its accessibility to students has had a direct effect on its success.
“Our main customer area is a lot of the high schoolers and the families that drop them off, as well as the neighbors that live behind and go to the school,” Ceehoffer said. “It has definitely contributed to the success of our store.”
A regular customer from TOHS expressed her love for the new Starbucks.
“I love it so much,” freshman Jessica Garrett said. “I’ve gone there like 50 times. It’s my favorite place.”
Running a popular coffeehouse isn’t an easy job, but Medina has it under control. Medina, having been a manager for nearly eight years, shared some of the joys and frustrations of the job.
“It would be watching the growth,” Medina said. “The growth of the workers, from when they first start to one, two months, four months, five months, even a year — the professional progression as they get better, that’s the best part of it.”
It’s frustrating when “things are out of our control” Medina also said. He listed problems such as scanners not working properly, computers not working, and other tech issues.
Ceehoffer also enjoys the morning rush, as it allows her and the baristas to “really work as a team.
We really work on connections here and making goals as a group, then at the end of the day we see if we met those goals.” Ceehoffer said.
The students of TOHS have represented their school well at Starbucks. Medina and Ceehoffer said they haven’t encountered many behavior problems with the teenagers. They only had one complaint.
“[The students] are a little messy. Of course, we’ll pick up after everyone, but if they can pick up their own trash, that would be nice. It’s manners,” Medina said.
Nonetheless, Medina has good news for the Starbucks lovers of TOHS.
“I am so excited to be near the school. I would like there to be a partnership, just like how we had the Lancer Frappuccino.”
Medina shared plans for monthly trivia nights “for the students to come, hang out, win free prizes, free drinks, and free food. That’s what I’m most looking forward to, so you can help spread the word that that’s coming.”
Medina also wants TOHS to know that “this isn’t just any other Starbucks, this is their Starbucks.”