The coffee shop has been closed since the huge fire back in January.
The Starbucks was left badly damaged following the blaze(Image: Daniel McCallum/The Hamilton News Stand/Facebook)
A popular Hamilton Starbucks has reopened its doors months after a devastating fire.
The coffee shop was left badly damaged after a car burst into flames in the Drive Thru around 1.15am on Saturday, January 17, at Palace Grounds Retail Park.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and two people were rushed to hospital. Dramatic footage from the incident showed massive flames ripping through the vehicle, with thick black smoke billowing from the car.
And now today, Wednesday, June 24, it has been confirmed that the coffee shop will now once again be open to the public.
The Starbucks, which has served the area for nine years and employs more than 50 people, will be managed by newly crowned barista champion Caitlin Murray – who surpassed 16,000 others from across the UK to earn the top spot.
Caitlin, who started working for Starbucks in Inverness at the age of 16, has worked her way up over the past 11 years.
She later moved to the central belt to progress her career, learning drive-thru operations before becoming assistant store manager and then store manager at OCO’s Airdrie store.
Caitlin Murray will be at the helm of the coffee shop(Image: Story Shop)
Now, she has been appointed store manager at Hamilton Palace Grounds, OCO’s flagship and largest store.
Caitlin said: “Taking on Palace Grounds as it reopens is really special. It is such a busy, well loved store and I know customers have really missed it. It’s a big part of their lives.
“For a lot of people, Starbucks is not just somewhere to pick up a coffee. It becomes part of their day, somewhere they feel welcome, and somewhere they get to know the team.
“I left school at 16 not really knowing what I wanted to do, but I found a job in a Starbucks café in Inverness. I remember coming home after my first week and saying to my mum, ‘this is the best job ever.’ Eleven years on, I still feel the same.
“Winning the Championship still has not quite sunk in. It has been a dream for so long, so to finally get there after 11 years was an incredible feeling.
“I am really excited to bring that passion for coffee into Palace Grounds and to support the team as we welcome customers back.”
The coffee shop is operated by OCO, a Scottish based Starbucks franchisee which now operates 23 stores, employing around 480 people.
JJ O’Hara, founder and managing director at OCO, said: “We are sorry for the disruption at Palace Grounds and want to thank our customers for their patience. It’s one of our busiest and best-loved stores – and the biggest drive thru for coffee in the UK, so we know how much customers have missed it.
“It’s also a special moment for Caitlin and we are incredibly proud. She has shown fantastic commitment from the moment she joined the team, and later moving from Inverness to the Glasgow area to grow her career, learn drive-thru operations and progress into store management.
“To win the UK Starbucks Barista Championship and now take on the leadership of our flagship store is a huge achievement. It is a brilliant moment for Caitlin, for the Palace Grounds team and for OCO as we reopen the store.”