Starbucks Corporation is an American coffeehouse chain founded by Howard Schultz in Seattle, Washington in 1971.
The company first became profitable in Seattle in the early ‘80’s. Although there was an economic downturn during its expansion into the Midwest and British Columbia in the late ‘80’s, Starbucks experienced restored success with its entry into California in the early 1990s. Starbucks grew its expansion outside North America and opened a location in Tokyo in 1996. Fun fact: Starbucks opened an average of two new locations daily between 1987 and 2007. Now with over 23,000 locations worldwide, overseas stores are responsible for one third of total stores.
Starbucks retail stores typically serve hot and cold drinks including espresso, whole-bean coffee, caffe latte, tea products and juices. Many stores also carry pre-packaged food items, hot and cold sandwiches, pastries, and snacks.