The Culture Of The Coffee Shop

In 1971, Starbucks opened its doors for the first time in Seattle, Washington as CEO Howard Schultz was determined to bring European-style coffee and “home away from home” coffeehouse culture to America. Starbucks now operates nearly 30,000 locations world wide, many of which are in the US, there’s no denying our love affair for all things coffee.

 

From cappuccino to Americana, almost 70% of Americans drink two or more cups of coffee a day. As one of the world’s most beloved beverages, multiple cultures claim to have been the very first coffee drinkers. But long before Europeans adopted their unique brand of refined coffeehouse culture, 15th century Yemen is actually the earliest recorded instances of coffee drinking. As global trade blossomed, coffee became a hot commodity and in 1699 the East India Trading Company started mass producing coffee in Indonesia for import to Europe.

 

Once a sign of European wealth and power, inhabitants of the New World took coffee and turned it into a symbol of imperial defiance following the events of the Boston Tea Party. Replacing tea as the beverage of choice was a powerful statement against classist oppression and is perhaps one of the reasons coffee culture Bega shifting towards American appeal. The California gold rush, for example, ran on coffee and put pioneers and entrepreneurs like Folger’s and Maxwell House as leaders of the American coffee market, supplying their heavenly drinks to miners as they searched for their fortunes.

 

Coffee culture goes beyond the liquid in our cup - it’s a reflection of the movement of the world, global trade, and intertwining perspectives. This infographic details the past, present, and potential future of coffee and its influence on culture and society.