The Zhejiang Xinye Bank in Tianjin, China, has been transformed into a unique Starbucks store called Riverside 66. This remarkable conversion took a total of three years to complete due to the site’s designation as a heritage building. Local historic preservation experts collaborated with Starbucks during the renovation process.
Riverside 66 now showcases Starbucks’ distinctive features, such as the Starbucks Reserve coffee bar, Tianjin’s first Starbucks Bar Mixato, and a Starbucks Teavana bar. To preserve the essence of the heritage building, the original century-old counters were retained, along with the Greek-style facade, marble columns, and carvings inside. Specialty design elements were incorporated, such as bronze tubes utilized for lighting fixtures, and the glass dome that houses the store’s air conditioning unit.
Luo Shuwei, a historian from the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, commended Starbucks and its partners for their passion and dedication in ensuring that every design detail harmonizes with the original architectural style. The result is a warm and inviting atmosphere that pays homage to the building’s rich history, according to Starbucks.
Starbucks China’s effort in preserving the heritage site earned the company gold status at the 2020 Hong Kong Design Awards in the International Retail – Shopping & Food interior design category.
