35 years ago a small little company started up in Seattle’s Pike Place market selling specialty coffees. Today that company is know world wide and to celebrate it 35th anniversary Starbucks has done something special—they brought the original logo mark of the siren back.
Today coffee shops are a dime a dozen with multiple shops within 20 feet of each other. There are even competing Starbucks on opposite sides of the street in some places. But, when they started it was something new and different. By going back to the original mark on the cups, even if only for a limited time, Starbucks is reminding everyone of their long history in the coffee field and establishing themselves as the originator of the coffee craze. Something their competitors can’t boast.
Not bad for a half naked mermaid.
Actually Seattle has a long rich history of great coffee shops going back to the 50’s. When Starbucks opened in the Market they were one of many gourmet coffee stores (not really a coffee shop becuase you couldn’t sit and have coffee). As far as the current coffee craze of the last 15 years; Starbucks wasn’t there for the genesis. Not in Seattle at least. They may be the first place that a person in Peioria IL ever saw a latte, but they were somewhat late to the game in Seattle amid a field of several others. The first real latte in Seattle was the Monorail Espresso cart which inspired (believe it or not) the Nordstrom cart on 6th. The success of Nordstrom is what really triggered the whole thing. It wasn’t until Scwhartz bought Startbucks and took then national that they really went nuts.
As for applauding them for bringing back the logo; they changed it in the first place under pressure that the mermaid was too risque. With the two leg sections forming a crotch and all.
To me (in England) Starbucks appears to be the Macdonalds of the coffee world.
I’ve seen nice a little coffee house disappear because a Starbucks opened nearby. Once the small coffee place closed so did the nearby Starbucks.
@Coffe Snob: Thanks for the other info on Seattle coffee. I didn’t know there were other gourmet coffe shop here going back to the 50s. And, Monorails Esspresso… I love them. When I worked downtown I would allways go and get my afternoon coffee from them. They too have a great history and are just really nice people. I miss them.
As for changing the logo I find it a bit funny that when they cups started coming out last week there was some uproar at schools since ther mermaid was naked. Some things never change.
@Nicola — A funny thing about Seattle. There are plenty of Starbucks here, but there are just as many, if not more, small coffee houses all over the place. You’d think that as the birthplace of Starbucks it’d be all about them, but it’s really not.
I think Starbucks can be given the laurel wreath of First Prize for a lot of things, but none of them have to do with coffee: it’s a far cry from the good cups of joe in town. What Starbucks did, however, was what I’m sure a lot of folks reading this blog want: they branded the hell out of themselves to point of overloaded distration. That damn green will now and forever be recognized as ‘Starbucks Green’. Love them or hate them, you know them, and that’s where their success lies. Whether that’s a good thing or bad thing depends upon your political, economic, and gustatory tastes. ;)
@Keith - I’m glad to hear that about Starbucks and coffee places in Seattle, I wish it were the same over here. I think there isn’t such a strong ‘coffee culture’ over here and that definitely contributes… makes a coffee lover sad!
;o)
(Aaah, it’s so much nicer to comment about coffee whilst drinking a nice cup of it than open Photoshop and finish my application screens)
I saw the re-released cups when I was in town last weekend. Pretty cool.
@Nicola: Keith is spot on when it comes to coffee here. I tend to be the biggest fiend in the office and will go to Monorail, Vivache and Victrola. However in Fremont I go to Peet’s since none of the other ones are out here.
@Mattew: In town? Did you move?
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