After spending a few years working at Starbucks, I became really fond of their friendly atmosphere and culture. This got me curious about how Starbucks came to be and how they created such a welcoming vibe that draws customers from all over the world. In this guide, I’ll share what I’ve learned about Starbucks’ history from various sources like books, their website, and Wikipedia. So, let’s dive in!

The Starbucks story began in 1971 at Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, where three friends opened a small coffee shop. They sold high-quality coffee beans from places like Colombia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia, which they roasted themselves and packed by hand. When it came to choosing a name for their shop, they looked to the nearby waterfront and settled on “Starbucks,” inspired by a character from the novel “Moby Dick.” They also picked the Siren as their logo, symbolizing the allure of coffee.

Fast forward ten years, a young man named Howard Schultz from New York visited Seattle and stepped into Starbucks for the first time. After trying their Sumatra coffee, he was hooked. In 1982, he joined the company as the director of operations and marketing.

A year later, Howard traveled to Milan, Italy, where he was captivated by the welcoming atmosphere of the local coffeehouses. Everyone, whether they were regulars or first-time visitors, was greeted warmly. People sipped espresso and cappuccino while chatting with friends, family, and even strangers, surrounded by the sounds of coffee grinding and Italian music.

Howard was inspired by the idea of bringing this coffee culture back to the United States. He convinced Starbucks to open a test café in downtown Seattle, and on a rainy morning, Starbucks served its first café latte. And that’s how Starbucks began its journey to becoming the global coffee giant we know today.

Attribute	Details
Company type	Public
Traded as	Nasdaq: SBUX<br>Nasdaq-100 component<br>S&P 100 component<br>S&P 500 component
ISIN	US8552441094
Industry	Coffee shop
Founded	March 30, 1971; 52 years ago
Headquarters	Starbucks Center, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Founders	Jerry Baldwin<br>Zev Siegl<br>Gordon Bowker
Number of locations	38,038 (2023)
Area served	84 countries
Key people	Mellody Hobson (Chairwoman)<br>Laxman Narasimhan (CEO)
Products	Coffee beverages<br>Smoothies<br>Tea<br>Baked goods<br>Sandwiches
Revenue	Increase US$32.25 billion (2022)
Operating income	Decrease US$4.62 billion (2022)
Net income	Decrease US$3.28 billion (2022)
Total assets	Decrease US$27.98 billion (2022)
Total equity	Decrease US$−8.70 billion (2022)
Number of employees	c. 402,000 (2022)
Subsidiaries	Starbucks Coffee<br>Ethos Water<br>Hear Music<br>La Boulange Bakery<br>Teavana<br>Torrefazione Italia<br>Tata Starbucks (India)
Website	starbucks.com

Company Overview

As the CEO of Starbucks from 1986 to 2000, Howard Schultz made big moves to grow the company. He expanded Starbucks from just a few shops in Seattle to many across the West Coast of the United States. After Schultz, Orin Smith took over and focused on making Starbucks a big player in fair trade coffee. Under his leadership, Starbucks’ sales soared to $5 billion.

Then came Jim Donald, who served as CEO from 2005 to 2008. He made sure Starbucks earned even more money. But when the financial crisis hit in 2007-08, Schultz returned as CEO. Over the next ten years, he worked hard to make Starbucks even better. He expanded what Starbucks offered, grew its market share, and made the company more socially responsible.

Kevin Johnson took over as CEO in 2017, but Schultz came back as interim CEO in April 2022. Later, in September 2022, Laxman Narasimhan was chosen to be the next CEO, with Schultz staying on the board of directors.

Besides coffee and food, Starbucks stores also sell cool stuff like mugs, tumblers, and coffee presses. Some stores even serve beer, wine, and appetizers in the evenings. You can also find Starbucks coffee, ice cream, and cold coffee drinks in grocery stores.

In 2010, Starbucks launched its Starbucks Reserve program, which offers special single-origin coffees and high-end coffee shops. They wanted to open 1,000 Reserve coffee shops by 2017, but Johnson decided to scale back those plans. Starbucks now has six coffee roasteries with tasting rooms and 43 coffee bars as part of the Reserve program. The newest roastery opened in Chicago in 2019 and is the biggest Starbucks in the world.

Although Starbucks has faced some controversies, it’s still very popular. It’s ranked 120th on the Fortune 500 list and 303rd on the Forbes Global 2000 list as of 2022.

Year	Revenue (in mil. US$)	Net Income (in mil. US$)	Total Assets (in mil. US$)	Average Price per Share (in US$)	Employees
2005	6,369	494	3,514	13.40	115,000
2006	7,787	564	4,429	17.62	145,800
2007	9,412	673	5,344	14.12	172,000
2008	10,383	316	5,673	7.61	176,000
2009	9,775	391	5,577	7.87	142,000
2010	10,707	946	6,386	13.07	137,000
2011	11,700	1,246	7,360	18.92	149,000
2012	13,277	1,384	8,219	25.63	160,000
2013	14,867	8	11,517	33.71	182,000
2014	16,448	2,068	10,753	37.78	191,000
2015	19,163	2,757	12,416	53.25	238,000
2016	21,316	2,818	14,313	56.59	254,000
2017	22,387	2,885	14,366	57.27	277,000
2018	24,720	4,518	24,156	57.50	291,000
2019	26,509	3,599	19,220	81.44	346,000
2020	23,518	928	29,375	82.33	349,000
2021	29,061	4,199	31,393	112.05	383,000
2022	32,250	3,282	27,978	87.63	402,000

Conclusion

In conclusion, Starbucks’ journey from its humble beginnings in Seattle to becoming a global coffee powerhouse is a testament to its founders’ vision and dedication. Through strategic expansions, innovative product offerings, and a commitment to quality, Starbucks has shaped the modern coffee culture. Today, it stands as an iconic brand known for its unique blend of coffee experiences and community-focused approach, leaving a lasting impact on coffee lovers worldwide.