• 6 min read
• October 30, 2025

San Salvador, October 30, 2025 – Starbucks, operated in El Salvador by its Premium Restaurants of America (PRA), celebrates 15 years of operations in the market with the opening of Starbucks Casa Bou – a flagship coffeehouse dedicated to the community. Located in the heart of San Salvador’s historic downtown on the iconic Rubén Darío Street, Starbucks Casa Bou embodies a milestone initiative focused on design innovation, sustainability, and meaningful connection with local communities.

As the first store of its kind in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Casa Bou represents a new model of community coffeehouse designed to inspire creativity, connection, and cultural pride across the region. Casa Bou seeks to go beyond the traditional coffeehouse experience by acting as a social and cultural hub for youth development. Through partnerships with local organizations such as Glasswing International, the Museum of Art of El Salvador (MARTE), and El Salvador’s Ministry of Culture the space will offer year-round workshops, mentoring programs, and public art initiatives designed to empower young Salvadorans through creativity, education, and skill-building.

This opening marks a key step in Starbucks expansion across the LAC region – where the company currently operates over 1,800 coffeehouses – and builds on its long-standing partnership with PRA, which currently manages 31 stores in the market with nearly 500 partners proudly wearing the green apron. Casa Bou welcomes 21 new partners to the Starbucks family to operate the new store, further strengthening the company’s presence and commitment in the market.

“Casa Bou is more than a new coffeehouse; it’s a representation of our commitment to the communities across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), where coffee has deep and meaningful roots. At Starbucks, we believe in the power of spaces that inspire, connect, and change lives; Casa Bou reflects that vision,” said Ricardo Arias-Nath, svp and president, Starbucks Latin America and the Caribbean.

A Space that Empowers Talent and Community

Designed as a center for creativity, Starbucks Casa Bou aims to empower young artists through training programs, art exhibitions, and collaborative projects. The initiative is supported by The Starbucks Foundation, which awarded a $15,000 Global Community Impact Grant to Glasswing International to benefit 175 Salvadoran youth through art workshops, socio-emotional development and job skills training.

Within this framework, Glasswing International’s “Youth Artistic Training Program” will offer workshops across multiple disciplines — from visual arts to design and communication — while providing practical sessions on résumé writing, financial planning, and digital tools that prepare participants for formal employment. In addition, the “Collaborative Creation Program,” developed with MARTE, will connect young artists with professionals to create murals and public art interventions that celebrate Salvadoran identity and urban life. Artworks will be publicly exhibited in Starbucks Casa Bou and public spaces, with support from community volunteers. Furthermore, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, various art exhibitions and cultural activities will be held inside the coffeehouse.

Casa Bou will also engage customers in its mission to empower local artists: visitors will find limited-edition merchandise, such as reusable cups and butter cookies designed by Salvadoran illustrators, allowing the community to directly support emerging local talent with every purchase.

Sustainable Design and Heritage Restoration

Casa Bou is housed in the historic Antonio Bou Building, constructed between 1923 and 1927, an icon of downtown San Salvador that has been carefully restored to host the new coffeehouse. The redesign combines the elegance of the Art Nouveau style with the efficiency and sustainability of the Starbucks Greener Stores model, which promotes responsible practices including the installation of energy-efficient equipment and water-saving systems. To support this commitment, Starbucks El Salvador has matched 100% of its electricity usage across its entire portfolio with the purchase of renewable energy, helping to offset its carbon footprint.

The interior features locally sourced materials and handcrafted pieces, along with stained glass windows by Margarita Llort and murals created by local artists Darwin Flores and Madjer Linares, which narrate the story of coffee from seed to cup and reflect the connection between nature and humanity. As the first store of its kind in LAC, Casa Bou bridges El Salvador’s cultural legacy with a modern vision of sustainability and responsible design.

Over 50 Years of Shared Coffee Heritage

The relationship between Starbucks and El Salvador spans more than five decades, dating back to when coffee grown in Salvadoran soil was part of the original menu at Starbucks Pike Place store in Seattle. Today, the company sources coffee from six growing regions in the market, including Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Ahuachapán, and El Bálsamo-Quezaltepec, known for their quality and tradition.

At Casa Bou, customers can enjoy local varieties from the Montecarlos Farm such as Starbucks® Pacamara, a testament to the company’s commitment to Salvadoran coffee production. This connection is further strengthened through initiatives like the “One Tree for Every Bag” program, through which more than 90 million climate-resilient coffee trees have been distributed across El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico, supporting the productivity and resilience of thousands of coffee farmers in the region.

Beyond its celebration of coffee, Casa Bou reflects a broader purpose: to invest in the country’s human capital — from farmers to young artists — helping strengthen the social fabric that sustains El Salvador’s cultural and economic future.

Expansion with Purpose

Since its arrival in 2010, Starbucks has built a strong brand in El Salvador, focused on quality, inclusion, and social responsibility. The opening of this flagship store reinforces its position as a leader in innovation within the food and beverage sector, while fostering economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship.

“As we celebrate 15 years of Starbucks presence in El Salvador, Casa Bou represents the heart of what we stand for — a space where coffee, culture, and community come together,” said Sofía Flores, Managing Director Starbucks Centroamerica. “This store reflects our ongoing commitment to creating welcoming spaces that inspire connection and empower the next generation, while honoring the rich heritage of Salvadoran coffee and craftsmanship.”

With Casa Bou, Starbucks reaffirms its role as a key player in El Salvador’s economy, combining business, culture, and purpose in a space designed to inspire the future of coffee and community in the region. This project represents a deep commitment to urban revitalization, the preservation of local heritage, and the empowerment of Salvadoran talent.