Timeline

March 30, 1971

Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegel, and Gordon Bowkerin
opened their first Starbucks in Seattle's Pike
Place Market.

1982

Starbucks eligible fulland part time

employees are offered
with full health benefits.

Jerry Baldwin,
Gordon Bowkerin,
and Zev Siegel in
their Starbucks
store.

Total Stores: 33

1990

Howard Shultz

Starbucks expands their

Howard Shultz started working in Starbucks as headquarters in Seattle

the director of marketing. He came up with the Total Stores: 84
idea of espresso bars.

1983
Shultz went to Italy and find out that the

Howard Shultz with

Starbucks selling
items like coffee beans.

popularity of espresso bars are very high in

Milan. He finds a future in Seattle to develop a
similar coffee bar idea.

1983- 1984
Howard Shultz convinced Baldwin, Siegel, and
Bowkerwin to test out the coffee house
concept, which was successful, but it didnt
convince them enough to open more coffee
houses.

1985
Howard Shultz leaves Starbucks to pursue his
coffee house idea on his own.

1987
Howard Shultz successfully established his
own coffee houses with the help of investors.
He later brought Starbucks for $3.7 million.
Also, Starbucks expanded to Canada and other
states.
Total stores: 17

1988

Howard Shultz next

to a Starbucks Coffee
Store

Howard Shultz
with Starbucks
Coffee employees

Starbucks
headquarters
in Seattle

1991

Starbucks introduces their coffee- sourcing

Starbucks became the first privately owned

guidelines in partnership of Conservation

between a company and its employees that

Total stores: 4,709

U.S. company to offer a stock option program International.

(employee stock options plans are contracts Starbucks introduces the Starbucks Card.
give the employees the right to buy a specific

number of the companys shares at a fix price 2006

Starbucks created their first paper beverage cup
within a certain period of time). This is for
both full time and part time employees.
Seattles Sea- Tac International Airport is
where Starbucks opened their first licensed

which is made out of post- consumer (another

consumer recycled product) recycled fiber
Total stores: 12,440

airport store
Total stores: 116

2007

1994

Starbucks decided to remove all artificial trans fat

Total Stores: 425

Total stores: 15,011

1995

2008

Starbucks opened their first drive thru location and makes the new level for espresso beverages 2
percent milk.
at Charlottesville, Virginia.

Starbucks begins serving their Frappuccino

blended beverages.
Starbucks also introduced their Starbucks
super- premium ice cream

Howard Shultz change his position from chairman to

chief executive officer.
Starbucks brought Coffee Equipment Company and
its Clover brewing system.

Total stores: 677

Starbucks also launched their first online community,

1998

Launches Pike Place RoastTM, which quickly becomes

My Starbucks Idea

Starbucks extend their company into groceries Starbucks topselling coffee.

Total stores: 16,680
advertisements throughout the U.S.
Starbucks launches their website
Starbucks.com.

2009 Launches StarbucksVIA Ready Brew Coffee.

Total stores: 1,886

Opens EastAfrica Farmer Support Center in Kigali,

2000

Launches myStarbucks and Starbucks Card iPhone

Howard Shultz changed his position to

Rwanda.
apps and Starbucks Card Mobile payment.

chairman and chief global strategist while Orin Opens stores in: Aruba and Poland.
Total stores: 16,635
Smith became the president and chief
executive officer of Starbucks.
Total stores: 3,501

2010 Expands digital offerings for customers with

2001

Seattles Best Coffee reinvents business strategy to

free unlimitedWiFi, Starbucks Digital Network.

extend brands reach.

Expands coffee offerings with ultrapremium

Starbucks Reserve line and Starbucks
Natural Fusions.
Opens stores in: El Salvador, Hungary and
Sweden.
Total stores: 16,858

2011 Celebrates 40
th anniversary with updated brand identity
and month of global community service.
Launches Starbucks KCups portion packs.
Acquires Evolution Fresh.
Opens stores in:Guatemala.
Total stores: 17,003
2012 Introduces Starbucks Blonde Roast.
AnnouncesVerismo system by Starbucks
premium singlecup espresso machine.
Opens Farmer Support Center in Manizales,
Colombia.
Acquires La Boulange bakery brand to
elevate core food offerings.

Launches Starbucks Refreshers

beverage platform.
Opens stores in: Costa Rica, Curacao,
Finland, Morocco and Norway.
Total stores: 17,651 (as ofJuly 1, 2012)