The big Starbucks in the Harvard Square Garage reopened after two weeks of renovation. Years ago this was the wonderful, very exciting Coffee Connection. Before its first renovation the space was a marvel of theatre and compression because of its upper deck seating. I remember when I first started drinking coffee. I enjoyed getting a latte and finding a perch on the skydeck where you could watch the passing parade. After Starbucks obliterated Coffee Connection they renovated the store so that it looked like a mall unit. Ah well.

The new renovation isn’t much of an improvement but while visiting the shop I was impressed with something that is often forgotten. Starbucks has installed wooden booths that may have been stolen from a renovated unit of Pizzeria Regina. Starbucks has an amazing ability to run coffee shops that do not smell of coffee. This one smells clean. The old couches are gone but snugglers can hide in a booth and be happy. The lighting is bright and the store badly needs sound dampening. I have always admired Starbucks Hear Music albums, but what was being played in the store was much less imaginative than any of their releases.

The store has been reconfigured for a clearer and longer line. This Starbucks did very well with the clover individual cups but that machine has been moved down to the coffee bar, in a position that is almost an afterthought.

The reason the store sold so many Clover cups was the energy and knowledge of the staff. The old manager believed in the Clover and sold a lot of coffee with his enthusiasm. He has left but the store continues to demonstrate a strong relationship with its customers. While I was at the store a friend sat down next to me to say how much he missed the staff when the store was being renovated. He used an emotional word that retailers should always remember. He said that the store staff had always treated him with “kindness.” All the workers knew him by name and he knew them. Lots of hugs.

When you travel and pass multiple units of Stuckey’s and Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts they all look the same to a stranger, but for regular customers each store can be filled with familiar faces and even friends. This is a good Starbucks because of its people.

Barismo is a small roaster in Arlington, with an unusual standup bar on Mass. Avenue. They make persnickety coffee for Boston’s high end cafes, including Simon’s and Hi Rise Pie. In a surprising move they are now supplying Espresso Royale with espresso. There are three Espresso Royale Cafes and a fourth is coming to the area near Berklee. Allegedly the name will change.

Over the years Espresso Royale has, like Starbucks, had some very good people.. Jay Swinton was the trainer at the BU store and made great efforts using subpar coffee beans. Not only is Barismo selling the espresso beans but they are also insistently training the staff.

The store is cleaner than it once was. The music is why companies use services like Muzak. Its a new school year and the employees have yet to establish relationships with customers.

So we have one Starbucks with dull music and good staff serving not very good coffee. And on Commonwealth Avenue we have a sincere effort to improve the product while letting workers play music that the high school wrestling team would be happy to hear.

Randy Newman wrote a song called “I Love LA” and when I was briefly attending Boston University there was a parody version, “I Love BU.” I Love BU.