Starbucks Trivia

Before moving to Washington State, I erroneously thought a couple of things about Starbucks. I thought:

1. People in Washington would snub Starbucks- because it is a major chain, and Pacific Northwesterners (practically the North American inventors of coffee) would only accept locally owned and operated coffee houses. -NOT TRUE.
2. I thought Starbucks was opened in Starbucks, Washington. -Also: NOT TRUE.

Last weekend, when Bob and I were in Seattle for our little trip, we took the underground Seattle tour and learned a little about the origins of Starbucks. Here's the skinny:

1. The original location was opened in 1971 in Pike's Place market... where you can take your picture and wait 45 minutes for a cup of coffee.
2. The original logo is pictured above. Remember, people: sex sells. So what would sell a quality cup of coffee better than a topless mermaid? Well, the Starbucks truck drove around Seattle selling coffee... and the locals had a fit about decency. (Side note: I have a hard time believing Seattle was EVER that uptight about a little modesty. Has anyone been here lately? Clothes, shmose...) I digress. So they reconfigured the mermaid to picture her from the clavicle up.
3. The original Starbucks was opened by an English teacher, a history teacher, and a writer. -I'm reasonably certain all those late nights of grading and writer's block spurred their business venture.

So I do love Starbucks. I viewed it as a little piece of home when I was living in Europe. -Though the local coffee houses were usually better. And it's about the only decent cup of coffee one can find in the entire city of Cincinnati. Out here, I'm with the locals: Yes, we will pay $4.00 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks, but we will just as gladly purchase a locally owned and brewed (with love) cup of joe.

The really strange thing with coffee out here though is this: they ask you if you want a straw with your HOT coffee- EVERY TIME. Now I'm used to it. But I still think it's just a little different. So I always decline. I guess I'm just not quite a local... yet.