Starbucks opened a new location in Detroit this past week. It’s not the first Starbucks in the city but it’s the first ground floor location downtown. While a Starbucks may not be a big deal in most cities, it garners press attention here because of its status symbol – a sign of corporate confidence in Detroit’s progress. I use to love Starbucks but nowadays I’m drawn to local coffee shops. If I’m going to spend $5 on a drink I might as well support a local entrepreneur.
My current coffee shop of choice is Stella International Cafe. It’s located in the central business district’s most beautiful building (at least in my option). The Guardian Building was completed in 1929 and is a breathtaking example of Art Deco design. The picture above was taken on a whim by Danny this weekend and doesn’t do the building justice, we’ll have to go for a proper photo shoot another time.
Stella’s is hidden on the ground floor of the building but people find it. Don’t let this picture fool you. It was just my luck that the shop was empty for the picture. By the time I ordered my coffee and asked for an interview, people started lining up. I waited 10 minutes for a dozen people to be served before I asked my questions. Stella’s sells coffee, soups, sandwiches and desserts. They make some things there but they also serve food from Avalon. Usually I stick to a cafe au lait but today I tried their special: The Baby Tiger latte. Presumably named for our baseball team, it was flavored with white chocolate and peach. An interesting combination but very tasty.
CarrieDaway 
Looks quiet good… I have just read that the new Starbucks was opened few weeks ago in Downtown. It is really great, that this chain is coming back to the city.
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