Starbucks Reserve
Empire State Building

An ode to New York’s golden age of Art Deco

This massive three-story mural celebrates the human connections of the coffee journey—and all the people who work together to grow, harvest, transport, test, roast, craft, and share coffee with the world.

Decorative glass wall with artwork of a woman in traditional Asian attire holding a dish, surrounded by nature and animals, with a wooden bar and stools in front.
Colorful mural in a modern restaurant and bar, featuring abstract illustrations of people, trucks, mountains, and celestial elements on a green background beside a staircase.
Colorful mural on a glass wall showing a woman receiving a cup of coffee, reaching out to a city skyline under a night sky with stars and constellations. There is seating in front of the glass, and stairs leading up behind.
Decorative mural wall featuring a woman wearing a hat, surrounded by lush greenery, flowers, and abstract clouds, with smaller figures working in a coffee field, indicating a vibrant, nature-inspired mural in a modern restaurant or bar.
A colorful mural artwork showing a stylized woman with dressed in an apron with a star and letter 'R', holding a large scoop for roasting coffee. The background features abstract patterns, gears, and coffee beans, suggesting a coffee or café theme.

The Story

Hard to believe, but this installation marked my tenth Starbucks mural in stores across the United States. I consider this one the crowning jewel. Having collaborated with Starbucks on so many previous occasions over the years, I have come to develop a deep understanding of their philosophy, values, and visuals. However, nothing could have prepared me for such a massive undertaking.

The team behind the Starbucks Art Program reached out to commission a mural inside the forthcoming Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building store. It would have to be as iconic as the storied building itself—a tall order! The artwork would highlight the human connection involved in crafting coffee and showcase the contributions of women in the coffee industry. Essentially, show the coffee journey from bean to cup, in a bold and vibrant Art Deco–inspired style.

The Art

The style of this piece was inspired by the Art Deco bas-relief sculptures and façades around New York City, such as the golden figures adorning the exterior of the Central Library in Brooklyn, originally opened in 1941. Other influences include the Works Progress Administration (WPA) murals of the 1930s and ’40s, as well as the famed skylines and cityscapes of painter Tamara de Lempicka. 

On the top level, we begin with a scene from Starbucks coffee farm in Costa Rica. A macaw soars in front of an aquamarine and metallic gold sky, a nod to the majestic ceiling inside Grand Central Terminal, just a short walk from the Empire State Building. We see farmers picking coffee cherries into baskets. The cherries from the central gilded farmer fall from her basket and guide your eye to the next level down, where the beans are then washed and dried in the sun. Our eyes are then drawn to a large ship which transports the beans to a roasting facility.

On the ground level, we have a large coffee roasting machine manned by a golden Master Roaster—an ode to Leslie Wolford, Starbucks coffee development specialist, with the company since 1991. We then pass scenes of coffee tasting, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery NYC, the transportation of coffee across the US, leading us down to the concourse.

Our final stop in this coffee story is the moment of connection between the barista and customer. They are surrounded by an Art Deco interpretation of the city skyline and playful constellations made up of coffee ephemera. As the customer receives the cup, it inspires her to go forth into the city, energized for whatever the day may bring.

Colorful mural at a Starbucks featuring a large white logo, directions for a restaurant and lounge, and stylized illustrations of buildings, trees, fish, and architectural elements.
Illustration of two hands exchanging a coffee mug with a star symbol, set against a backdrop of tall city buildings and a stylized starry night sky with radiating lines.
Colorful mural on an interior wall featuring stylized trucks, mountains, clouds, and a road, alongside a large sign indicating a restaurant, bar, to-go and shop, and an experience lounge, with an exit sign near the door.
Colorful industrial-themed mural with a factory emitting smoke, surrounded by gears, clouds, and abstract patterns.
Colorful mural on a glass wall showing a woman receiving a cup of coffee, reaching out to a city skyline under a night sky with stars and constellations. There is seating in front of the glass, and stairs leading up behind.
Colorful wall mural with celestial and coffee roasting themes, metal staircase and stairlift in foreground, and terrazzo flooring.

“It is significant when someone can walk into their local Starbucks and see a custom piece of art that represents them and their community. It’s important for people to feel seen.”—Dana Tanamachi

A collection of items including a black bag with colorful embroidered designs, a blue Starbucks tumbler, a white mug with a textured pattern, a decorative paper fan, a blue jewelry box, a black T-shirt with a graphic, puzzle pieces, a red gear-shaped object, and some intricate paper artwork, set on a green surface with a green textured background.

The Collection

A year later, Starbucks approached me to create a collection of exclusive merchandise specifically for the Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building store. Now visitors could take a piece of the mural home with them. The limited edition collection includes an embroidered tote bag, stainless steel beverage tumbler, ceramic mug, T-shirt, ornament, hand fan, and a puzzle featuring the mural art. If you’re in the market for a unique NYC souvenir, pop into the Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building store on your next trip.

Two teal stainless steel water bottles with Art Deco design, featuring the Empire State Building, the words 'Starbucks Reserve,' and decorative leaves and waves, placed on cardboard blocks against a gold curtain background.
Three decorative paper umbrellas with colorful patterns, placed on a wooden surface against a blue wall.
A white mug in a box, stacked inside two blue boxes with intricate white line art of a city skyline and a hand holding a star, with the top box featuring text about Starbucks Reserve.
A colorful 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle depicting a botanical scene with two women, one with a basket, set on a green surface. Puzzle pieces are scattered around, partially assembled, with a blue box in the background.
A black tote bag with embroidered symbols representing various themes, with a blue Starbucks tumbler placed inside the bag and extending above it. The embroidered symbols include a rainbow, mountains, torch, a hand with sprinkles, a skyscraper, a ste
Ornaments and a box with gold text on a black background sit on a green surface, with orange velvet curtains in the background.

Take a Tour

Starting at the store’s third level café, we follow the coffee journey from a Costa Rican coffee farm to the roasting process, coffee distrubution, and finally down to the moment of connection between barista and customer.

Credits

  • Starbucks: Lara Behnert, Chelsea Klein, Mike Berlin, Jill Enomoto, John Nelson

  • Art by Dana Tanamachi
    Figures by Dana Tanamachi & Kelly Thorn

  • Liz Maycox, Yuka Ezoe, Noble Signs

  • Store Photos: Collin Hughes
    Merch Photos: Ted Cavanaugh