Retro Broadway Lighting at High-Tech Flagship Starbucks in Times Square Powered by LEDs

After renovations, Starbucks reopened its outpost at 1585 Broadway back in September and the shop is now its New York City flagship. Its Theater District location inspired the space’s old Broadway-style design and lighting scheme, which follows Starbucks’ new “neighborhood concept design” program. Executed by New York-based architectural lighting designers Focus Lighting, and Florida-based LED Source, the shop is also illuminated by over 125 energy-efficient LED lamps as if it were a theater stage set in order to evoke the nostalgia of old Broadway.

Theatrical lighting elements include Fresnel lighting fixtures with LED lamps and barn doors, which are mounted on triangular trusses. LED accent lighting is integrated into the shop’s shelving and canopy, while the interior Starbucks lettering is backlit with LEDs. Overall, the space features 73 Toshiba PAR30 (16.3 watts each) and 55 Toshiba MR16 (6.7 watts each) LED lamps. Compared with traditional bulbs, the PAR30s should last on average 25 times longer and use 75 percent less energy, while the MR16s will last 20 times longer and use 80 percent less energy.

Starbucks’ goal for the renovated space was a “high-tech experience aligned with the Times Square environment.” Among other features, the shop includes an interactive photo booth and a social media video wall with a live feed of Starbucks-related posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Although Starbucks has announced it intends to seek LEED certification for all of its shops (including at 72 Spring Street in SoHo under LEED for Retail), the registration and certification status of its 1585 Broadway location is unclear. Nevertheless, Starbucks has launched its own corporate energy conservation program with the goal of reducing energy consumption in each of its locations by 25 percent by 2015. And the 1585 Broadway renovation used FSC-certified wood products and locally-sourced materials throughout.