Which coffee chain was founded in Seattle in 1971?

The coffee chain founded in Seattle in 1971 is Starbucks.

Starbucks opened its first store on March 30, 1971, near Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Its founders were Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker, who initially focused on selling roasted coffee beans, tea, spices, and brewing equipment rather than serving the espresso-based drinks now associated with the brand.

The founders were inspired by coffee roaster Alfred Peet and the specialty-coffee culture he helped establish in California. Starbucks remained primarily a coffee-bean retailer during its early years. Howard Schultz later joined the company, became interested in Italian-style coffee bars, and helped shift Starbucks toward the café model that drove its major expansion.

People sometimes credit Schultz as the founder because he led the transformation and rapid growth, but the original company was founded by Baldwin, Siegl, and Bowker. The name also reflects the founders’ interest in maritime imagery and the novel Moby-Dick.