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Starbucks revamps its music concept in San Antonio
Tricia Lynn Silva
Coffee mega-house Starbucks of Seattle is revamping its downtown San Antonio store into what it calls its next generation, Hear Music Coffeehouse.

The concept calls for the store to carry a larger selection of CDs. It will also feature media bars, where customers choose from a wide selection of digital music -- and even burn CDs.

The store, which is located at 111 Crockett St., will consist of 4,100 square feet of retail space, plus an additional 1,000 square feet of patio space. The layout and design of the store, plus the music selection, will reflect the influence of San Antonio's culture, plus the city's local music scene.

The Crockett Street Coffeehouse marks the second Hear Music store to open in the chain. Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) opened its first Hear Music in Santa Monica, Calif., last March. Another location will open in South Beach, Fla. in early 2006.

"Starbucks has changed the rules of engagement for the music industry," says Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz. "By fully integrating the Starbucks Experience with the discovery of music, the new Hear Music Coffeehouses offer a music retail environment unlike any other and represent a significant milestone for the company."