Comments on: Seattle: The First Starbucks Store

By: robinchambers

robinchambers — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:47:26 +0000

I worked for Starbucks for six years. The “Mermaid” is a “Siren” taken from the book Moby Dick, as well as the name, after “Captain Starbuck” Seattle’s Best is now owned by Starbucks. Starbucks has a stronger flavor because it is roasted longer,if it taste burnt it is probably because the espresso machine in not calibrated correctly.

By: monkey

monkey — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:14:19 +0000

I am enjoying your documentation of the family’s Seattle adventures. Thanks for this, as I know your experiences will come in handy when I organize a trip there.

I prefer Timmy’s coffee over Starbucks. Starbuck’s coffee tastes burnt to me and needs to be more mellow in flavour.

By: seaghost

seaghost — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:24:22 +0000

Ever since you started the Seattle blogs, I have been hoping you would do something on Starbucks as I am a barista there. :D

RobynT is correct. It’s named after the character in Moby Dick, Starbuck.

By: RobynT

RobynT — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:14:25 +0000

Starbuck is a character in Moby Dick. I heard that’s where the name came from and that’s why their logo is a mermaid. I also heard that the guy who came up with this either left or was squeezed out of the company before it got big. I think I read it in the latest Mental Floss (trivia magazine).

I prefer Seattle’s Best to Starbucks, but I admit I often go to Starbucks since they are everywhere! I’ve been meaning to try Tim Horton’s but haven’t got around to it yet.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:03:55 +0000

The sizes at Starbucks are Short (child size), Tall, Grande and Venti.

I have boycotted Tim Horton’s over the timbit issue http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/05/08/timbit-lilliman.html?ref=rss
the fact that the woman had children shouldn’t matter though.

I find plain Starbucks coffee tastes burnt so I have to get a vanilla latte to cut the burnt taste.

By: Style Dish

Style Dish — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:38:45 +0000

I use to be a frappucino addict and then when I read a grande frapp with whipped cream has the same amount of calories as a big mac…I stopped. I also started to go to the local coffee shops and found good ones like JJ Beans and love Cafe Artigiano.

Also Starbucks isn’t doing so well. Maybe it’s the effect of the US economy downturn but in its history, the last 2-3 quarters they’ve started to see a drop in their sales.

By: carla

carla — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:05:06 +0000

The name “Starbucks” was developed by an ad agency which the company hired. They asked for a “catchy” name that would be easy to remember.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 12 May 2008 04:09:55 +0000

I vote for Timmy’s anytime though had a bit of concern when they fired that poor single mom for giving away a 16c timbit! Glad to see she got rehired but hope the overzealous manager got reprimanded as well for, er, having his knickers in a knot!

By: MoMo

MoMo — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:05:15 +0000

I like Starbucks the most because it is the strongest coffee I can find so far. I am guess that’s one of the reasons why Starbucks is the king of the hill in the world of coffee.

I drink coffee not for waking myself up besides taste, just like most adults. I did the test. I find that Starbucks can last me 4 to 5 hours of high energy. I don’t feel sleepy until night. Other brands? 2 to 3 hours if I am lucky. Usually 1 hour of being awake.

I tried to switch before. I failed miserably. I would have a cup of non Starbucks in the morning and then ran to Starbucks for a cup of coffee hours later because I simply couldn’t stay awake. Especially there’s no sunlight during winter in Vancouver,I really need strong coffee to make me sober all day.

If anyone knows any brand even stronger than Starbucks, please let me know. It doesn’t have to have retail stores. It can be just a brand of coffee beans or ground coffee on the supermarket shelf.

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 12 May 2008 02:27:02 +0000

Fantastic Pics the mother ship!