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A Starbucks coffee shop in Leeds, England

Starbucks ( NASDAQ: [http://quotes.nasdaq.com/asp/SummaryQuote.asp?symbol= }&selected= } }]) is a giant multinational chain of coffee shops, often serving desserts, with a reputation in the US as a center for socializing and intellectual discussion, particularly among students and young urban professionals. Corporate headquarters are in Seattle, Washington. The company was named after Starbuck, a character in Moby Dick, and their mascot is a stylized cartoon melusine.

The first Starbucks opened in Seattle in 1971, at its still-operating location across from Pike Place Market. Entrepreneur Howard Schultz joined the company in 1982 and started the Il Giornale coffee bar chain in 1985, whose outlets were rebranded as Starbucks in 1987 when Il Giornale bought the existing Starbucks stores from the original owners, who held on to the Peet's chain that Starbucks had merged with a few years earlier. Starbucks also opened its first locations in Vancouver, British ColumbiaThis article refers to the city in British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver can also refer to Vancouver, Washington, USA, a suburb of Portland, Oregon. For other uses, see Vancouver (disambiguation Vancouver (49n16, 123w07 PST) is a Canadian city in the provin (at Waterfront StationWaterfront Station is a major public transportation facility in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Services Waterfront Station is the downtown Vancouver terminus for the following services: The Expo SkyTrain Line to King George Station in Surre) and Chicago, IllinoisThis article is about the city, for other uses of the term see Chicago (disambiguation : Hog butcher for the world,Tool maker, stacker of wheat,Player with railroads and the nation's freight handler;Stormy, husky, brawling,City of the big shoulders. Carl in 1987.

By the time of its initial public offering on the stock market in 19921992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday. Events January January The Internet Society is formed. January 1 Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Perez de Cuellar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General January 1 George H. Bush becomes the fi, it had grown to 165 outlets. In April 20032003 is a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar), and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Summary Perhaps the defining global event of the year 2003 was the Invasion of Iraq launched by the U Starbucks added 150 new outlets in one day, by completing the purchase of Seattle's Best CoffeeSeattle's Best Coffee is a specialty coffee retailer and wholesaler based in Seattle, Washington. It became part of Starbucks Corporation on July 14, 2003. Founded by Jim Stewart in 1968 as the Wet Whisker, an ice cream and coffee shop in Coupeville, Wash and Torrefazione Italia from AFC EnterprisesAFC Enterprises is the Atlanta- headquartered company that owns three fast-food restaurants: Church's Chicken, Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, and Cinnabon. In August 2004, the company sued the now- defunct Arthur Andersen company for malpractice and breach. As of May 2003, Starbucks operated more than 6,400 locations worldwide. Stung by criticism of the conditions in which its coffee was grown, the company introduced a line of fair trade products; although the majority of its sales are not certified fair trade, Starbucks pays its producers some of the highest rates per pound in the world. Starbucks is also known for providing even part-time employees with healthcare benefits and stock options.

Starbucks' success in the US market has not always been replicated around the world, as it has faced stiff competition in locations where existing coffee shops and restaurants already serve a variety of high-quality coffees, and from a number of retailers which emulate Starbucks' business model (often adding a local twist).

This rapid proliferation of the company has been the subject of much comment and occasional parody, for instance in the Austin Powers films, The Simpsons and South Park.

See also: Coffee house