Starbucks built a luxury satellite office in Newport Beach, California, for its CEO, Brian Niccol. According to Business Insider, which accessed internal documents and exclusive photos, the project was named “Project Sunshine” and is located just five minutes from Niccol’s residence in the coveted coastal enclave of Southern California.
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The new office — spanning 4,624 square feet on the 13th floor of a commercial building — was designed by a renowned architectural firm and executed by a specialized boutique contractor. The space was completely renovated to offer luxury finishes such as gothic white oak flooring, polished concrete, elegant lighting, floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the Pacific, and a $14,000 espresso machine. All of this is part of the compensation package granted to Niccol after taking over the company’s leadership in September 2024.
The revelation of “Project Sunshine” comes at an awkward time for Starbucks’ corporate culture. Just weeks earlier, Niccol implemented a return-to-office (RTO) mandate that requires employees to be physically present four days a week, reversing previous remote work policies. The message was clear: adapt or leave the company.
This caused unrest among some employees who criticized the lack of equity. In addition, certain investor groups and environmental activists expressed discomfort, questioning Niccol’s use of Starbucks’ private jet to travel from California to Seattle, which they argue contradicts the brand’s sustainability commitments.
Why did Starbucks decide to invest in this office far from its Seattle headquarters?
Starbucks justified the creation of this alternative executive headquarters as a measure to support the CEO’s work. A company spokesperson told Business Insider: “Like every company, we want our CEO to be as productive as possible given the intense demands on his time.”
In that sense, the company stated that Niccol spends most of his time visiting stores across the United States and around the world, in addition to regularly working from the Seattle headquarters, where he also owns a home. The new office in California is intended to function as a flexible workspace for Niccol and other Starbucks employees (“partners”) when they are in the area.
How much does Brian Niccol earn as CEO of Starbucks?
The official document where this office was first mentioned appears in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), detailing Niccol’s hiring package: a base salary of $1.6 million and stock bonuses worth over $95 million during his first four months in the role. The document also specified that a “small remote office” would be established in Orange County to save the CEO from frequent commutes to Seattle.
What does Brian Niccol’s office in Newport Beach look like inside?
Although Starbucks has not released official photos of the space, Business Insider reviewed internal images that show an elegant and minimalist environment, with leather furniture, a mix of classic and contemporary Starbucks-themed artwork, and details like a poster that reads “Back to Starbucks”, a nod to Niccol’s revitalization strategy.
The floor plan obtained by Business Insider includes a 576-square-foot executive office with a private bathroom, a boardroom, six additional offices, two meeting rooms, open workspaces, and a break area. An existing shower was removed and custom sinks and countertops were installed to enhance the space’s experience. The office is part of a commercial complex operated by the Irvine Company, which offers amenities such as ping-pong tables, outdoor flat-screen TVs, and open-air workspaces under palm trees.
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