historical background of Starbuck and Coffee Bean

History of Starbucks

The history of Starbucks starts back in 1971 when the first store opened in Seattle, Washington. Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker got the idea from Alfred Peet (of Peet's Coffee fame). The store initially sold just coffee beans and coffee making equipment rather than the drinks they have become so famous. After about 10 years, Howard Schultz was hired as Director of Retail Operations and came to the conclusion that they should be selling drinks rather than just beans and machines. He couldn't convince the owners, so he went his own way to start the Il Giornale chain of coffee bars in 1986.



The next year, Baldwin and the others sold Starbucks to Schultz who then renamed his Il Giornale locations to Starbucks and quickly started to expand. After conquering Seattle, the chain spreads across the United States and then internationally. The first location outside of North America was in Tokyo and they still have a sizable presence in Japan today. Over the course of its history, Starbucks has bought or acquired companies like Peet's and Seattle's Best Coffee, and took over many locations of Coffee People and Diedrich Coffee stores. In the 1990s, Starbucks was offering stock options to employees and went public. Today, Starbucks has expanded to more than 17,000 stores in 55 countries around the world. Their biggest presence is still in the United States, with 11,000 locations. You can find a Starbucks in such diverse nations as Chile, Romania, Bahrain and Bulgaria. The most recent expansion was to Budapest in June of 2010.


The companies logo was initially a wood-cut style image of a 2-tailed mermaid or siren, but it has undergone a lot of changes over time. The historical original design had the mermaid with bare breasts, but the modern version has become more stylized and her hair covers her body. The name comes from Captain Ahab's first mate in the classic novel Moby Dick, who was named Starbuck. Aside from the ubiquitous coffee shops, they also own the Hear Music label and Ethos bottled water. Though they are unquestionably a successful company, Starbuck's history does have its share of controversy. Their habit of taking over other smaller businesses and forcing out competitors have given Starbucks the reputation of being too corporate and too powerful for the laid-back world of coffeehouses. The chain has also had lawsuits involving their tip policies for their employees. But they also promote Fairly Traded coffee products and have also made strides in recycling with their paper cups and and supplies. So the history of Starbucks really does have both its ups and downs in terms of public perception and opinion.

History of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

 

For those of us not named Paul Basset, a good up of coffee is more often than not found at the coffee house at the nearest mall, around the corner or at an airport if you're travelling and not at home at home, although we'll put up with the home brew just to get up in the morning. So I've decided to clue you in on a little background info about these institutions we so heavily rely  on provide a decent cup of java.

 

Herbert B. Hyman started the coffee bean nd tea leaf in 1963 with a dedication to excellence and quality and his efforts made him the founding father of gourmet coffee in California.

 

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has since grown into one of the largest privately owned, family-run coffee and tea companies in the world.

 

The endurance and popularity of the Bean, as it is affectionately referred to by devotees, can be attributed to the high standards that were established from the beginning. From trend-setting drinks like the World Famous Ice Blended, to the employees who become a part of the communities they work in The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has discovered the formula for a successful coffee and tea company.