Can Blank Street’s new, bigger coffee shops become Gen Z’s Starbucks? Conversations around Gen Z lacking third spaces have always famously noted that Millennials had Starbucks to hang out in. Now, Blank Street is transforming many of their tiny, made-for-pickup shops into spots with “conversation booths” and more experiential ordering in hopes of becoming Gen Z’s coffee hangout. And to make sticking around for it more appealing, these new shops feature “the pour”—a staged finishing of the order right in front of the customer at the pick-up counter. However, this transition could be somewhat risky; the brand had quick growth and lower prices than other chains when it first opened. But now, at the same time as needing more staff and paying for more space, Bloomberg reports their sales growth in 2025 was only 21% in the U.S., compared to over 50% the two years prior. (Bloomberg)
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