What was the first Stealth Starbucks store named?

The first Stealth Starbucks store was named 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea.

It opened in July 2009 on Seattle’s Capitol Hill as an intentionally de-branded Starbucks experiment. The shop removed familiar Starbucks signals such as the siren logo, green aprons, and the company’s tall, grande, and venti terminology. Instead, its doorway described it as “Inspired by Starbucks,” presenting the business more like an independent neighborhood café.

The experiment was designed as a laboratory for testing different coffeehouse ideas, including atmosphere, food, beverages, and service. The store served wine and beer and hosted activities such as live music and poetry readings—features that were not then typical of a standard Starbucks location.

The name “Stealth Starbucks” came from the stores’ concealed corporate identity, not from a separate company. Another well-known example was Roy Street Coffee and Tea, which opened later in 2009. 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea was eventually remodeled and reopened as a branded Starbucks in 2011, then closed in 2017.