The coffee chain was named after a particular character from a classic American novel – what character was Starbucks named after?
The international chain of coffeehouses, which opened its first location in 1971 in Seattle, has taken the whole world by storm with its selection of coffee drinks and snacks.
From releasing new merchandise, like the new stunning white pearl Starbucks cup, to holiday-themed drinks, the chain has changed the coffee game across the globe.
Let’s dive into the background of the company and find out the novel and character that inspired its name.
Starbucks coffee name origin
Starbucks was founded by three friends and former San Francisco University students – Gerald Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl.
They were passionate about good food and wine, and of course, good coffee. They decided that Seattle should become a hub known for its great coffee.
In 1971, the founders met artist Terry Heckler to brainstorm ideas about the coffee company’s name and define the brand.
Bowker, a writer by profession, suggested the name of Pequod, the name of a ship from Herman Melville‘s novel Moby Dick. However, the name didn’t sit right with Heckler who continued brainstorming ideas with the co-founders.
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What character was Starbucks coffee named after?
Heckler suggested that they should research names that start with “st” because the two letters sound powerful together.
As the brainstorming continued, Hackler started researching popular landmarks near Seattle while looking out for places that start with “st”.
Heckler discovered an old mining map of the Cascades and Mount Rainier where he came across the name of a mining town called Starbo.
He went back to research the novel Moby Dick where he found that the name of the first mate on the ship Pequod was Starbuck.
Moby Dick didn’t have any connection to coffee and the discovery was totally coincidental. A new brand was born and the rest is history.
Starbucks logo and store
Heckler then designed the first Starbucks logo, which featured a creature with two tails alongside the brand’s original name Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spices.
The two-tailed creature on the logo originates from the Greek myth about Sirens, beautiful mermaids who lure sailors to shipwrecks. The first Starbucks store opened its doors in 1971 at Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington.
In other news, What character was Starbucks coffee named after? Novel story explained
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