How many original founders did Starbucks have?

Starbucks had three original founders: Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker.

The trio were friends from the University of San Francisco who shared an interest in high-quality, dark-roasted coffee. They opened Starbucks in Seattle in 1971, initially selling whole coffee beans, tea, spices and coffee-making equipment rather than the espresso drinks associated with the modern chain.

Baldwin was a former English teacher, Siegl was a history teacher, and Bowker was a writer. They invested $1,350 each and borrowed an additional $5,000 to establish the business. Their first store opened near Seattle’s Pike Place Market.

Howard Schultz is often mistakenly counted as an original founder because he led Starbucks’ transformation into an international coffeehouse company. He joined the business later, in 1982, and acquired Starbucks in 1987. The name was inspired partly by Starbuck, the first mate in Moby-Dick.