11/15/2024
Discovering The Smith Center
President and CEO Myron Martin cuts the ribbon at the Starbucks celebration, flanked by Starbucks and Smith Center employees.
With Immediate Past Chairman of the Board Don Snyder looking on, Smith Center President and CEO Myron Martin officially ushed in the campus’ new Starbucks at a dedication ceremony in November.
“Don knows, before we even opened The Smith Center, I had a desire to bring a Starbucks to campus, and he said it would never happen,” Martin told the crowd assembled inside the bright new space. “We actually met with Starbucks before we opened, but we were on 61 acres of dirt, surrounded by nothing, so they said, ‘Thanks for asking, but nobody’s going to come here.’ And look at us today: We have a Starbucks.”
And, as Martin pointed out, The Smith Center’s location isn’t just any Starbucks; it’s wholly operated by The Smith Center, and it’s the first Starbucks community store in the entire state of Nevada.
Located adjacent to the Discovery Children’s Museum and The Smith Center courtyard, the store offers all your favorite Starbucks’ beloved drinks, bites and treats, along with an eight-seat community table that can be reserved for free for up to two hours at a time.
“We wanted to bring something not only for food and beverage, but a place for people to come and meet their neighbors, meet their fellow businesspeople,” said Dina Lomagno, Store Development Manager for Starbucks. “And with this store flanked by the Vegas Chamber, Mob Museum offices and the Discovery Children’s Museum, and with a new dual-brand hotel going up across the street, I think we’ve done our job and done it well.”
Added Starbucks District Manager Wendy Johnstone, “There's a community here that's wanting to gather and connect and build relationships, and to see this go from an empty space to actually open our doors and be able to welcome the community in just gives me goosebumps.”
Following a delicious coffee tasting led by store baristas, local artist Eric Vozzola, whose colorful mural, “Super Bloom,” adorns the wall of the interior closest to the community table, also spoke to the group. “I'm honored that Starbucks reached out to me to create such an iconic artwork in a truly iconic performing arts center. I'm a born and raised native, and I couldn't be more thrilled to have an artwork in such a beautiful space where people come together. That’s why I create art, to bring joy and bring people together.”
The Vegas Chamber, whose offices reside on The Smith Center campus, then performed a ceremonial ribbon cutting before the crowd made its way into the courtyard for a spirited performance by Vegas favorite Frankie Moreno and his band, regulars onstage at Myron’s at The Smith Center.
Starbucks at The Smith Center is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit thesmithcenter.com/visit/dining/starbucks.