Starbucks began in 1971 as a narrow storefront in Seattle’s Pike Place Market.
Zev Siegl, Jerry Baldwin & Gordon Bowker, three college friends tired of the low-quality, canned coffee Americans had grown accustomed to drinking. They dreamed to bring high-quality, great-tasting coffee to the emergence into the bustling heart of Seattle. 🧐🤓🤨
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Howard Schultz
The king of caffeine joined Starbucks in 1982 as the marketing manager. During a trip to Italy, he had a vision to bring the Italian coffeehouse tradition back to the United States. It would be a place for conversation and a sense of community, a “third place” between work and home.
It took a year for Howard to convince the Starbucks founders to try out the concept, but he was finally given 300 square feet to set up a full Italian-style espresso bar. In April of 1984, the store opened and the first Starbucks® Caffè Latte was introduced to America.
Timeline
1971 Starbucks opens first store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market
1982 Howard Schultz joins Starbucks, providing coffee to fine restaurants and espresso bars.
1984 The first Starbucks® Caffè Latte is served
1991 Opens first licensed airport store at Seattle’s Sea-Tac International Airport.
Total stores: 116
1995 Begins serving Frappuccino® blended beverages
Total stores: 677
1999 Partners with Conservation International to promote sustainable coffeegrowing practices.
Total stores: 2,498
2001 Introduces ethical coffee-sourcing guidelines developed in partnership with
Conservation International.
Introduces the Starbucks Card.
Opens stores in: Austria and Switzerland.
Total stores: 4,709
2002 Establishes Starbucks Coffee Trading Company (SCTC) in Lausanne,
Switzerland.
Launches Wi-Fi in stores.
2004 C.A.F.E Practices
Opens first Farmer Support Center in San José, Costa Rica.
Introduces Starbucks Coffee Master Program.
2006 Launches the industry’s first paper beverage cup containing post-consumer
recycled fiber.
Total stores: 12,440
2009 Launches Starbucks VIA® Instant
Launches My Starbucks Rewards® loyalty program and first iPhone® app with
Starbucks Card mobile payment.
2012 Introduces Starbucks® Blonde Roast.
Handcrafted Starbucks Refreshers® and Teavana
Total stores: 18,066
2014 Opens first Starbucks Reserve® Roastery in Seattle.
Launches Starbucks® Mobile Order & Pay
2015 Launches Cold Brew iced coffee
2018 Phasing out disposable plastic straws
Total stores: 29,865