Starbucks
Brian Duffey
12/9/2012
MIS 642
Starbucks is a very well known company nowadays. They are very popular
and not only bring coffee to people with a plethora of locations, but also have been
able to create atmospheres at each location where people can go to get work done,
unwind, and even socialize. However, this was not always the case.
Back in 1971, Starbucks first opened its doors in the state of Seattle. At this
time, they were simply a basic coffeehouse with no intention of turning into a
powerful chain. However, eleven years later, Howard Schultz took over as director of
retail operations, which is when the expansion first began in the form of selling
coffee directly to restaurants and espresso bars.
Shortly after this, Starbucks began testing a coffeehouse culture as seen in
Milan. This was a success and helped to spur the beginning of Starbucks explosion,
first expanding into Chicago and Vancouver, with a total of nearly eighteen thousand
stores as of this previous summer.
While Starbucks began as a simple place to get coffee, nowadays it is anything
but. Stores now offer free Wi-Fi for its customers, and the menu ranges far beyond
simple coffee from juices and solid meals, to CDs and other goods that a coffeehouse
wouldn’t necessarily be expected to sell. Yet, it all works and has come to be known
as synonymous with Starbucks brand and image.
