Starbucks first opened its doors on Mar. 30. 1971 at Seattle's historic Pike Place Market. It was an understated debut—a 1,000-square-foot mercantile space manned by a single employee—but it had plenty of special touches. Hand-built fixtures. A long wall boasting more than 30 varieties of whole-bean coffee. A seductive lady in the window logo. Even with its unassuming original sign, it’s easy to spot—just look for the line out the door.
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