The days of retiring to the cozy lodge and enjoying a hot cup of java after a chilly day on the slopes could be long gone — at least if Starbucks has its way. Skiers at one California resort don’t even have to descend the mountain anymore. Or even take off their skis.
Squaw Valley, a ski resort in California near Lake Tahoe, now sports the world’s first ski-thru Starbucks, a cool 8,000 feet up the mountain. The new coffee shop was built into the slopes so skiers could ski or board up to the ordering window, grab their drink and head back for another run, all without removing gear.
(LIST: The Evolution of Corporate Logos)
Squaw Valley hatched the idea and, with the help of Starbucks, created the double-duty franchise. There’s still an indoor seating area for skiers to get warm – but that would involve removing those pesky skis. While this is Starbucks’ first ski-thru restaurant, McDonald’s beat the coffee chain to the top of the slopes when they opened McSki, a ski-thru fast-food joint, in 1996 atop the Swedish resort of Lindvallen.
But a warm cup of Starbucks sounds far better than a greasy burger while skiing or snowboarding. After a cup of caffeine, we might even be compelled to make a few extra runs.
The days of retiring to the cozy lodge and enjoying a hot cup of java after a chilly day on the slopes could be long gone — at least if Starbucks has its way. Skiers at one California resort don’t even have to descend the mountain anymore. Or even take off their skis.
Squaw Valley, a ski resort in California near Lake Tahoe, now sports the world’s first ski-thru Starbucks, a cool 8,000 feet up the mountain. The new coffee shop was built into the slopes so skiers could ski or board up to the ordering window, grab their drink and head back for another run, all without removing gear.
(LIST: The Evolution of Corporate Logos)
Squaw Valley hatched the idea and, with the help of Starbucks, created the double-duty franchise. There’s still an indoor seating area for skiers to get warm – but that would involve removing those pesky skis. While this is Starbucks’ first ski-thru restaurant, McDonald’s beat the coffee chain to the top of the slopes when they opened McSki, a ski-thru fast-food joint, in 1996 atop the Swedish resort of Lindvallen.
But a warm cup of Starbucks sounds far better than a greasy burger while skiing or snowboarding. After a cup of caffeine, we might even be compelled to make a few extra runs.