Starbucks – Aurora, Colorado

About Starbucks

Starbucks began in 1971 in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, where its first store introduced customers to fresh-roasted coffee, tea, and spices from around the world. Inspired by the seafaring tradition of early coffee traders, its name was taken from the classic novel Moby-Dick.

In 1982, Howard Schultz joined the company and later discovered the warmth and artistry of Italy’s coffee culture. This vision transformed Starbucks from a coffee retailer into a welcoming coffeehouse experience. By 1987, the company had adopted its new identity, expanding across the United States and, soon after, internationally, with stores opening in Japan (1996), Europe (1998), and China (1999).

Today, Starbucks has grown into a global brand, serving millions of customers across thousands of neighborhoods worldwide. Guided by its mission—“With every cup, every conversation, and every connection, we nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection”—Starbucks continues to bring people together through coffee and culture.

Our Coffee Story

The cup of Starbucks coffee you hold in your hand is more than just a drink. It’s an expertly handcrafted beverage, a daily ritual, the final step in an incredible, global coffee-production story connecting you to farmers, agronomists, roasters, buyers, engineers, Green Apron baristas, and more. Starbucks was founded on a love for high-quality coffee. Coffee is our heart. We invite you to learn about our story - from the coffee fields to your stores, the many hands that nurture the coffee along the way, the incredible journey of a little bean that ends in your cup.

Coffee & Craft