Starbucks is a well-known coffee shop that was founded in 1971 by three friends who met at the University of San Francisco. Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker, three former students, combined their talents and passion for coffee to found a company that would eventually be worth more than $10 billion by 2014. On March 30, 1971, the first gourmet coffee shop opened in Seattle, Washington. The original Starbucks owners sold the company to Howard Schultz in 1987, and expansion began, with the company growing from six stores in 1987 to 46 by 1989. Starbucks first opened outside of North America in Japan in 1996, and it has since expanded to countries all over the world.
Starbucks was founded by two teachers (Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegl) and a writer (Gordon Bowker) who had met at university.
When deciding on a name for their new coffee shop, the names “Cargo House” and “Pequod” were considered. After much deliberation, they settled on the name Starbucks – Starbuck was Pequod’s first mate in the novel Moby Dick. In the book, Pequod was a ship.
Starbucks now has over 20,519 locations in 40 countries around the world.
Starbucks is the world’s largest coffee retailer.
Starbucks has become so well-known that the company does not include its name on the cups.
From the time it was purchased by Harold Schultz in 1987 until 2011, Starbucks opened two new stores every day.
When Harold Schultz bought the company, he changed it from selling coffee beans to also selling brewed coffee.
Prior to 1987, it only sold roasted coffee beans and equipment.
It is estimated that the average Starbucks customer visits the store six times per month. Many of the most devoted customers (20 percent) visit a Starbucks 16 times or more per month.
Starbucks coffee shops chose round tables over square or rectangle tables so that customers who visit alone do not feel so isolated.
With all of the drink combinations available at Starbucks, there are over 87,000 different drinks that could be created.
Starbucks has a mobile app that is used by over 10 million people. It is estimated that 10% of Starbucks purchases were made in-store using the mobile app in 2013.
Starbucks is the first brand with a Facebook presence to receive 10,000,000 “likes.”
The Trenta size cup from Starbucks is actually larger than your stomach!
Starbucks has a company policy that requires their stores to open 10 minutes before the posted opening time and stay open 10 minutes after the posted closing time every day.
A cheese Danish from Starbucks contains more calories and fat than a Sausage McMuffin from McDonald’s.
Starbucks provides health insurance to all employees who work more than 20 hours per week, which costs the company approximately $300 million per year in health care costs. This is more money than the company spends each year on coffee beans.
Some Starbucks locations are now selling wine and beer to customers in addition to coffee, treats, and food.
