Leftheris, the busboy, clears off one of the wooden tables at Goody’s. Among the artistic mélange of empty bowls, cigarette butts and wrappers is a plastic cup adorned with the familiar mermaid emblem.

The Deree campus Starbucks opened on Thursday, Nov. 3, marking another addition to coffee options available to students and staff.

To celebrate the grand opening, Starbucks employees served free coffee from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Starbucks coffee is offered in over 10,000 locations worldwide. There are currently 38 stores in Greece, plus one at the American College.

“As far as we know,” said manager Voula Kyriakopoulou, “we’re the first college in Europe with Starbucks.”

Kyriakopoulou, who relocated from the Starbucks at Ag. Ioannou, said that Deree is an ideal location for the popular chain.

The American-style coffee house has already assimilated into the student culture. “We’re already getting a lot of work,” she said, “but it’s still the beginning. After some time has passed, more people will come.”

A deck was built in front of the store window for students to sit and drink their beverages, but “most of the cups we serve are ‘to go,'” Kyriakopoulou added.

Student Denise Sarakinis, an avid consumer of Starbucks products, goes to Goody’s after she buys her grandé, iced shaken latté: “It’s a bigger place and it’s easier to socialize.”

So Leftheris’ trash collection now includes venti-sized plastic cups and long, green straws. In addition to ashes, he now wipes off condensation rings left by frozen Frappucinos.

“They’re everywhere,” he said, referring to the coffee chain.

Sarakinis said the new Starbucks location is convenient: “I don’t have to run down the street now that it’s right here on campus.”

Student Katerina Papantoniou agreed, even though she thinks that it is odd to have three stores within a three kilometer radius of each other.

She said that she will still go to all of them. “It’s just a matter of what I want. Sometimes it’s nice to get off campus.” Frequently, though, students are pressed for time, so it is easier to purchase coffee at Deree, she explained.

Goody’s has been the main food and coffee provider to students for the past several years. General Manager Eugenia Mousti expects the business to take a slight hit now that Starbucks has opened.

“Logically, yes, we’ll lose work, especially during the morning hours,” she said, “Whether it’s from curiosity or because it’s a trend, the students know Starbucks.”

The prices, though, she added, do not invite daily consumption.

For Sarakinis and Papantoniou, however, money is not an issue. “I prefer the coffee at Starbucks, even if I have to spend four euros to buy it,” said Sarakinis.

Mousti said the competition is good. “It helps us get better. In the end, we’re all here for the same reason: the students.”

Sarakinis, sipping the last of her latté, seemed pleased as she looked around Goody’s from student to student, cup to cup. “Starbucks is Starbucks – it’s special.”