At least the building does not look too changed by them. The current starbucks explosion into the world seems like the one McDonalds had about 15 years ago.

I'm beginning to think they're all out of place.

Startbucks are everywhere in England! They tend to also be in a very traditional, english looking building as well. Nicely captured. I'll have a white chocolate mocha, no whip,extra hot, thanks!

Hi.
Great Picture, as always.

Funny thing to see the Starbucks, i've been there only a few months ago and had a coffee there and sat in the top window.

hey sam,

why are u suprised? Thats an ordinary european starbucks. they are mostly in old buildings. I really like the canny atmosphere inside. mabey u can post a picture of a typical canadian starbucks !?

scotsman

ps: love ya website

Love the colours here. Why surprising to see Stabucks in Oxford though? They've taken over the western world, and I'm sure those Oxford students consume their fair share of caffeine! Just wondering what the painted sign hanging to the left was advertising ... I ate in a wonderful Indian restaurant many years ago in Oxford, and I remember the streetscape looking just like this one (our table was by the window upstairs, similar to the Starbucks window here)

Did you do some work on the sky here? Or was that the actual colour?

Starbucks is a global force. I don't think I would flinch at the sight of one on the international space-station.

I think the interior color of harbucks fits pretty well. Maybe Someone can smear some paint on the sign to make it blend better with the house.

U didn't wait for a squirrel to climb out from the smoke stack...

Sam, you are a master of the 'reveal'; used to great effect in this picture! Thanks as always for an interesting picture.

But Starbucks is everywhere...

Great (and nauseating :-}) juxtaposition!

I agree with you. It does look out of place although it is somewhat working on blending in.
I think Starbucks is in some kind of drug business. Oh ya! Coffee!
I've got the Oxford blues now. Thanks for a great pic.

sam, i love your site. you impact alot of people in a wonderful, subtle way. keep up the great work, your site is amazing

Honestly, this is a little bit boring, and I expect more from you. Don't take any offense. You know you are the man anyways...

oops ... I meant the painted sign on the right hand side, in my above comment!

Fiona.

Hey Sam,
What a surprise! I have seen Starbucks all over the place, although I'm not a big fan. I heard they even have it in Hawaii!!! Let alone Morroco and other places like Zurich or Frankfurt.
I always like the way you capture everything together. Modern interior design of Starbucks although in a very old building.
If you come to Manchester and go to Trafford Centre, you'll see a Starbucks which although being located in a very modern building, it still has an old style exterior. There is another one in other side of the same centre which is totally modern.
You will also see plenty of them in central Manchester, so there is no need to go to first one, you can chose between them ;^)
Great picture.
Well done mate.
Payam

What is starbucks?

another blown out sky.

I agree with that last comment.
The one at the trafford centre is stunning!
Sam if you ever go to England again, go to Manchester and visit the centre!
I must say, the italian style bars inside a huge modern complex is amazing!
Liek the picture here, I watched an interesting program about the Oxford English dictionary the other day... although ive never been myself!
Keep it up Sam!

Oh come now, were you really that surprised?

I think everyone is right about this blight on the landscape. They should have demolished the building and put up a new, modern glass-covered structure for the Starbucks instead.

Be serious, people. The owners of this ancient building have to pay taxes, you know, and I'm sure this helps preserve the upper structure (if it indeed has been preserved inside. I doubt it.)

As for the picture itself, yes, it's mundane, but obviously the mundane brings out details we've all noticed, like the signs of neighbouring shops, and it sparks debate, so it was an utterly brilliant photograph!

i'm not quite sure that there's a country in the wold that _doesn't_ have a starbucks :P nice everyday shot

mmmmmmmmmmmm startbucks. Great architecture.

This pic is great too. The clarity is superb. Am going for a digicam soon. Which brand is the best in your opinion, for a middle class fella like me ? Could u send me an email on that ?

Since the photo is so large, I saw the top of the building and thought about what a nice sight it was. I then scrolled down and saw that starbucks, what an unpleasant surprise.

hey, i am sorry i am so busy to celebrate Spring Festvial and the new semester. The most important i love those pics, brilliant, wow, spceial discover. Vote

Yikes! Starbucks really is everywhere!

Although, I gotta stay that we here in Vancouver still takes the cake - where you can literally sit in one Starbucks (sipping your vente-ice-whatever-mocha-latte) and wave to your friend sitting in the Starbucks on the facing corner of the intersection.

The painted sign on the right hand side is for a pub called The Wheatsheaf, it is one of a few pubs located down these little alleys off the High Street. You really shouldn't be surprised to see Starbucks here, I think we have at least one of every variety of coffee shop there is. Just round the corner from the High Street Starbucks shown here there is another Starbucks on Cornmarket Street, then up the street from that there is a third inside Borders bookshop...
I hope I am right about which Starbucks this is from the photo!

Why surprising sam, as a matter of fact, Guildford the city I live in, has 4 STBC though it's not a city actually & is a small town.

Most amused to see Fiona's comment on the 5th of February, asking whether Sam'd worked on the sky.

Sometimes it feels like the sky is always that colour here (I'm about an hour away from Oxford). Can't wait for spring...

i am living in münster, germany, and we have a sturbucks, too. i like it. althouh its population is exploding. but for me i do not seems similar to mcdonalds for example.

Re Hil's comment, re MY comment about the sky ... I can fully understand you being amused, as I myself am originally from the U.K., and lived most of my life under that colour of sky too! I was actually refering to the fact that someone who knows more about photography than I do, commented on a previous photo that Sam had "blown out the sky" (it was an obvious case of the colour being removed in that particular photo) and it looked as though the same process may have been used here too ... or maybe not!!!

The strangest place I have ever seen a Starbucks is down a beautiful little alley in Paris, seemed so strange and horrible!

Hi... I've never been to England, hopefully the people there have better taste in coffee than the people here... it looks like they must! There is no one there, very unusual for a starbucks anywhere. You do great work, love your stuff!

I'm allergic to coffee (though I love the smell) and have never been in a Starbucks. The rise of the coffee shop over the last ten years baffles me. If you don't like them being in Oxford, just stop going in them. They'll close down.

I heard starbucks is or has gone to Italy. I don't think it will go over well there. Cool shot - and it does seem out of place. It feels more like a shot of New England than England.

starbucks is everywhere people want it to be. we belong in your communities because we too are a part of the community. we try not to be invasive, but instead a familiar place that can always be relied upon.

Really liked this photo a lot, i used it for a study in buidling facades, don't worry I didn't credit the photo as my own, Don't sue me i have no money anywas. If you would like to see the drawing let me know.

This starbucks rules. You are all going on my rock list be aware!!! mmm.....caramel macchiato

Thank you for posting this, lived in this building when I visited Oxford.

The sad thing is that the building beside this got this wonderful stained glass window that is covered by this building, and only partly visible from a couple of windows.

your collection of Starbucks images keep growing and are keepers. I still think there is an opportunity to have a coffee table book with just different locations of Starbucks. You are leading the pack!

I worked at that starbucks for a year in 2005..it was the most amazing experience in my life, not just for the job, but for the city, the people, the smell... great memories and great picture, thanks for sharing!!!