Starbucks opened in Seattle, Washington

Starbucks began its journey in Seattle, Washington, as a retailer of high-quality coffee beans and equipment. Founded by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker, the trio was inspired by Alfred Peet, a coffee roasting entrepreneur. Their initial focus was on selling coffee beans, and for the first decade, Starbucks operated solely as a coffee bean retailer. The first store was located at 2000 Western Avenue, where it established a local presence in the Seattle coffee market. In 1976, the store relocated to 1912 Pike Place, which became a significant landmark for the brand. During this period, Starbucks did not serve brewed coffee or espresso drinks, concentrating instead on providing customers with premium coffee beans and related equipment. This foundational approach laid the groundwork for the company's future expansion into the beverage market, which would later transform Starbucks into a global coffeehouse chain.