When Was Starbucks Founded? The Complete Fascinating History
Starbucks is a globally recognized brand and the largest coffeehouse chain in America. But just how old is Starbucks, and when was Starbucks founded? The short answer is that three coffee lovers founded it on March 30th, 1971. Its headquarters remain where it all began, in Seattle, Washington. But there’s more to it than that.
Read on for the complete fascinating history of Starbucks.
When Was Starbucks Founded?
Starbucks was founded on March 30th, 1971, with its first-ever store in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. It was started by Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl, three academic coffee connoisseurs who banded together their finances to open up shop (1).
They named their cafe “Starbucks” in reference to the character Starbuck, the calm voice of reason in the novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville.
Instrumental to Starbucks’ success was entrepreneur and coffee roaster Alfred Peet, owner of California-based Peet’s Coffee and Tea. Seeing Peet sell only the highest-quality coffee beans and equipment, Jerry, Gordon, and Zev arranged for Peet to be their first supplier of green coffee beans. They learned many of his roasting techniques and began experimenting with their coffee flavors, roast levels, and blend profiles.
When Did Starbucks Become A Franchise?
Howard Schultz joined the Starbucks team in 1982 as head of marketing. He played a key role in shaping Starbucks employees’ customer-friendly approach, making Starbucks’ menu and prices more approachable for Starbucks newcomers (2).
When companies fail, or fail to grow, it’s almost always because they don’t invest in the people, the systems, and the processes they need.
In 1983, Howard visited Milan and was inspired by Italian coffeehouses. He wanted to expand Starbucks into a coffeehouse chain like the ones in Italy. The remaining partners, Jerry and Gordon, weren’t thrilled about this idea and sold Starbucks to Howard in 1987. At the time, he owned another chain, Il Giornale, which he brought under the Starbucks brand name.
It took Schultz four years to grow Starbucks from a coffeehouse chain with fewer than 20 locations to over 100.
When Did Starbucks Become Popular?
Starbucks became popular in 1992 when the company went public. It is one of the biggest and most popular coffee chains, serving coffee in dozens of countries with over 32,000 stores.
Check out this YouTube video for an overview of the first 50 years.
When Did Starbucks First Open In California?
The first Starbucks in California opened in Los Angeles in 1991. California boasts the greatest number of Starbucks stores in the USA, accounting for approximately 19% with 3,075 Starbucks locations as of June 2023. There are over 900 Starbucks in the L.A. metro area alone.
When Did Starbucks Start In Canada?
Starbucks started in Canada on March 1st, 1987, in Vancouver, British Columbia, and it was the first international Starbucks store. Howard Shultz and Dave Olsen worked together to plan the vision, prep the equipment, and train the baristas. This spot remains a popular coffee shop and tourist attraction to this day.
Final Thoughts
Next time you visit your local Starbucks, you’ll have some historical perspective to accompany your order. Starbucks was founded in Seattle, Washington, on March 30th, 1971, by Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl. Howard Schultz joined the team in 1982 and took over five years later. It was his vision and drive that turned the small local chain into the global brand of today.
FAQs
There are 15,988 Starbucks locations in the USA as of June 7th, 2023. Texas holds the second largest number of Starbucks locations in America, with 1350 stores accounting for 8% of the national total. Florida is the third most Starbucks-filled state, with 843 stores or 5% of the total (3).
Starbucks served its first caffè latte in 1984, made from espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. Though a popular drink now, it was a novelty to many Americans at the time. In North America, it is often just calle a latte, but in Italy, ordering a latte is more likely to get you a glass of milk.
Starbucks came out with the Frappuccino in 1995. The blended drinks had a base of coffee, milk, and ice. They were first available in only two flavors, Coffee and Mocha – a far cry from the massive Frappuccino menu we know and love today.
References
- Starbucks Coffee Company. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.starbucks.com/about-us/
- Zipkin, N. (2018, June 5). 10 Inspiring Quotes From Howard Schultz on Great Leadership and Business Success. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/10-inspiring-quotes-from-howard-schultz-on-great-leadership/314514
- ScrapeHero. (2023, June 7). Number of Starbucks stores in the United States in 2023. Retrieved from https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/Starbucks-USA/
