The Decade That Changed Everything For Starbucks

With over 32,000 stores in 80 different countries, it's safe to say that most of us have probably visited a Starbucks at least once in our lives. The Seattle-based coffee chain has become a global powerhouse since opening its first location in 1971, serving millions of customers every day. However, things weren't always so crazy for this coffee chain. In fact, it actually wasn't until the 1990s that Starbucks began to turn into the mega-brand we know and love today.

After operating a lone coffeehouse in Pike Place Market for 10 years, Starbucks was taken under the wing of former CEO Howard Schultz. Schultz left Starbucks for another company in 1985, but after his return, he helped it grow into an international chain. The brand entered the Japanese market in 1996 and then the European and Chinese markets in 1998 and 1999, respectively, pushing Starbucks to greater heights.

The growth rate during this decade was rapid, to say the least. Starbucks had just 84 stores open in 1990, and by 1999, there were over 2,290 in operation. From there, the company expanded its headquarters in 1990, opened two new roasting plants in 1993 and 1995, unveiled its first drive-thru in 1994, and went public on the U.S. stock exchange in 1992. For Starbucks in the '90s, business was booming — but it wasn't just the global expansion that skyrocketed the brand's popularity.

While the corporate structure of Starbucks developed, things were also changing within the stores themselves. When the coffeehouse first started out, the main focus was on selling whole-bean coffee. Inspired by Italian coffee culture, Schulz aimed to turn the stores into ambient coffee houses where patrons socialized and hung out. He saw the opportunity to promote coffee as a luxury, and, soon, Starbucks began selling lattes and espresso-based drinks.

In 1995, one of the most iconic menu items arrived: the Starbucks Frappuccino. The idea came from the iced blended beverages taking California by storm at the time, but there was some resistance at first from those who thought the drink would be too sweet. After a lot of testing, Starbucks unveiled its first flavors, Coffee and Mocha, which were wildly popular with customers — so much so that the company even began to sell bottled versions in grocery stores the following year. No wonder there are 30 different Starbucks Frappuccinos these days.

Schulz was right about luxury coffee being popular in the 1990s. Starbucks expanded its reach in grocery stores even further in 1998, and with more and more stores popping up all around the world, the brand entered popular culture. Starbucks even began selling its own albums in 1995, and the chain itself was featured in various movies and television shows, such as "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" and "You've Got Mail." The Starbucks logo became instantly recognizable, and it remains so today. Although, the CDs haven't quite had the same staying power as the bottled and canned Starbucks coffees.