Happy 40th Birthday, Starbucks!

                 (Insa-dong Starbucks written in Korean)
I love this coffee shop....especially the one at Itaewon, next to McDonald's. I go there to read, write, check my photos, chat with friends and most of the time, people-watch! From the second floor! Ha-ha-ha!

But Starbucks in Itaewon is not 40 years old today. Starbucks is!

On March 30, 1971, 40 years ago, the first Starbucks store was opened at Pike Place in Seattle, Washington.

And lucky me, my friend, Jaelee treated me to a cafe mocha right there....at the first Starbucks coffee shop at Pike Place Market!

That night, when we were there, the whole place was full of locals and tourists, all lining up for a cup of coffee or for a souvenir. 

Being the first ever Starbucks coffee shop, that place is now a tourist attraction, a must-visit place for all Starbucks coffee lovers, especially to one tourist that night. Ha-ha-ha!

But unlike the Starbucks at Itaewon, the one at Pike Place has no second floor! And it doesn't have tables and chairs where we could have cozied up and read or write or chat.

I wonder what kind of celebrations they have at Pike Place today, but thanks to Jaelee (for the coffee) and to Mario (for the drive to Seattle), we already celebrated at Starbucks while we were there. 

Happy 40th!  And bring on that venti-sized Green Latte Frappuccino! And no whipped cream, please!

           (the view from the 2nd floor of Starbucks Itaewon)