How did a modest Seattle coffeehouse become an international juggernaut？What made Starbucks so beloved that more than forty million customers visit every week, yet so loathed that protesters have sabotaged its stores？And why did we suddenly become willing to pay $4.50 for a cup of coffee？

IN THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS, America has been transformed into a nation of coffee gourmets, largely due to the influence of one company. Starbucks didn't just upgrade our taste for coffee; it altered our lives,from our evolving neighborhoods and workplaces to the ways we shop, socialize, and self-medicate.

Starbucked tells the story of why a cultural movement converged on a simple black beverage,and of how one coffeehouse rode this wave to riches,adoration, and infamy. Through a cast of characters that includes hippies, business sharks, Hollywood trendsetters, and more, Taylor Clark provides the first meticulously reported look at Starbucks and reveals why many of the things we think we know about it are false.

Whether you're a regular customer or a caffeine teetotaler, Starbucked will make you stop and think about how the world gets its daily fix.

INTRODUCTION: The Experiment 3

PART ONE: THE RISE OF THE MERMAID

CHAPTER 1: Life Before Lattes 17

CHAPTER 2: A Caffeinated Craze 47

CHAPTER 3: The Siren's Song 86

CHAPTER 4: Leviathan 111

PART TWO: GETTING STEAMED

CHAPTER 5: Storm Brewing 141

CHAPTER 6: A Fair Trade? 169

CHAPTER 7: What's in Your Cup 199

CHAPTER 8: Green-Apron Army z26

CHAPTER 9: The Seattle Colonies 246

EPILOGUE: The Last Drop 268

Acknowledgments 272

Notes 275

Index 290