The doors to the first Starbucks store opened on March 30th, 1971. It was founded by Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin, and Zev Siegl.[1] The store was 1000 square feet and first run by one singular employee.[2]
While commonly referred to as the first Starbucks location, the current address is the second for the Pike Place store. The first restaurant was located at 2000 Western Avenue for five years. It is currently located in 1912 Pike Place.[3] The store is one of three in what is referred to as "The Heritage Market". Together, these stores (all within five blocks of one another) are able to showcase the past, present and future of Starbucks.[4][5]
The Original Starbucks has kept its early appearance over time, and is subject to design guidelines and historic significance.[6] It is known for tourist attraction and hosting crowds.[7][8] The store still displays many aspects of the shop that it had when it first opened up. For example, the original siren can still be found on the window of the store. Also, brass labels from the bulk coffee bins the year they opened are still in the store for people to view.[2]
The store began by selling whole bean coffee, tea, and spices.[9] The store still sells whole bean coffee along with handcrafted beverages, but no longer sells tea or spices as retail.
Of all storefront locations, Pike Place boasts one of the most significant sales turnovers in the United States.[10]
