Starbucks has opened its second Community Store in the Philippines in Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City. A formidable two-story cafe, this Starbucks branch adds to the global network of over 200 Community Stores and over 50 stores in the Asia Pacific region. But what is a Community Store, and what sets it apart from all the other Starbucks branches?

Starbucks opens second Community Store in Mandaluyong

Starbucks Community Stores create environments that aim to uplift communities in locally relevant ways. These store concepts—led by partners who directly connect to the initiative or cause of that store—provide intentional and dedicated programming and experiences.

Building on the positive impact on youth created by Starbucks Philippines’ first Community Store in Abad Santos Tondo last September, this new store continues to create economic opportunities and empower underserved communities through youth education.

But why Mandaluyong specifically? During the branch opening on August 5, Jaime Silva, Senior Manager for Marketing of Starbucks Philippines, said that their team has tried to look for underserved and underprivileged communities in Metro Manila. Through their partnership with Mano Amiga, they’ve identified Mandaluyong as one such community. Silva also mentioned that there are plans to open more Community Stores in the Metro in the following years.

Buying from a Starbucks Community Store helps support Mano Amiga’s cause

This isn’t your typical Starbucks. The new store in Maysilo Circle is more than just a place to grab your favorite coffee. It’s a community hub designed to uplift lives. A portion of the proceeds from the Maysilo Circle Community Store will support Mano Amiga Philippines, an organization dedicated to enhancing education for children from low-income communities. Established in Mexico in 1963 and active in the Philippines since 2008, Mano Amiga has steadily grown, providing more scholarships each year to deserving students.

Starting this October, Starbucks Philippines, in partnership with Mano Amiga, will launch the Raising Readers and Raising Leaders programs. These initiatives will benefit underprivileged youth at Nayon ng Kabataan in the Welfareville community, Mandaluyong City. Raising Readers promotes literacy through storytelling, arts and crafts, and nutritious meals. Raising Leaders offers leadership training, life skills workshops, scholarships, and school placement support. Together, these programs aim to advance children’s education and positively impact their communities.

“We are thrilled to work with Mano Amiga for our second Community Store, as their mission aligns with our values and commitment to advancing youth education in the communities we serve,” said Noey Lopez, president of Starbucks Philippines. “Through this meaningful partnership, we are helping to create a brighter future for the Filipino youth.”

Starbucks Community Store in Mandaluyong has a Community Library

The new Community Store also features Starbucks’ first Community Library, designed to empower children through the transformative power of books.

This library aims to inspire continuous curiosity and lifelong learning by fostering a love for reading from an early age. It will feature a diverse collection of books, including works by Filipino writers and illustrators that showcase Filipino values and experiences, as well as a selection of international books, offering young customers an enjoyable reading experience while inside the store.

In addition to a two-story space for the café, Starbucks Philippines has co-created a custom mural with Manila-based artist Tara Soriano. Her vibrant artwork, titled “Of Books and Beans” depicts coffee and books coming together and reflects her personal passion for inspiring young minds.

Strengthening community ties in Mandaluyong

Since the launch of Starbucks FoodShare in 2022, in partnership with Grab and the Philippine FoodBank Foundation, Starbucks has donated over 1.3 million food items nationwide, helping to relieve hunger in the community. Starting October this year, select Starbucks stores in Mandaluyong will donate rescuable food directly to the Welfareville community.

Additionally, Starbucks Philippines will collaborate with Gawad Kalinga to bring Kusina ng Kalinga+ to Welfareville. This initiative empowers local parent volunteers to prepare nutritious meals for children in public schools. In partnership with The Starbucks Foundation, Starbucks has provided over 236,000 meals across the country since 2022, and starting this October, they will be supporting 200 children in this community through this initiative.

The Starbucks Maysilo Circle Community Store is now open from Monday to Sunday, 6:30 AM to 12:00 MN for dine-in and take-out.

For more information, follow Starbucks Philippines on their social media pages: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Tiktok.

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