Starbucks Coffee helps keep bored luxury wing salespeople awake

A full-fledged Starbucks Coffee is strategically placed inside a luxury wing of Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, the biggest shopping center in New Jersey.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

On my first and likely last visit to a luxury wing of Garden State Plaza in Paramus, I didn't see any customers in the stores.

Even more troubling, I didn't see any security guards or Paramus police officers inside or outside a mall that was invaded by a gunman whose random rifle shots panicked customers before he committed suicide in November 2013.

A Starbucks Coffee provides needed stimulant to the bored luxury store employees.

On Tuesday afternoon, I didn't see any customers in most of the high-end stores at the shopping center, and salespeople stared vacantly at the door or through plate-glass windows.

A slice of pizza and a small drink is $3.99. Another food stand is operated by Lasaka and offers sushi. Free samples of tea are available at Teavana.