The World's First Starbucks Store Was Not Actually At Pike Place

Not carrying an umbrella regardless of how rainy it is, dipping your fries in tartar sauce, and gleefully eating from a bag of Dick's Drive-In are hallmarks of a true Seattleite. When it comes to Starbucks lore, regardless of whether or not people from Seattle love or hate the coffee, they know about the local origins of the world's largest coffee shop chain. It's a common misconception that the first Starbucks store was erected in Pike Place Market — Seattle's famous outdoor farmer's market featuring all sorts of vendors from fishmongers to fruit stands — that's considered one of the absolute best food markets in the U.S. And to be fair to unsuspecting tourists, there is a note-worthy Starbucks on the iconic strip, sandwiched between a tortillería and an optometrist, that's advertised as "The First Starbucks" — only this isn't really true.

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A better title for the Starbucks located at 1912 Pike Place would be "World's Oldest Starbucks," because it is indeed the cafe with the most longevity at almost 50 years old. However, the real first Starbucks opened in 1971 a few blocks away from the Pike Place location on the corner of Virginia Street and Western Avenue (2000 Western Avenue to be exact) in a now-demolished structure formerly known as the Rhode Island Building. And unlike the cozy Starbucks cafes we're familiar with today, the original Starbucks on Western Avenue was more of a roastery that sold beans. In late 1976, the Rhode Island Building was demolished, and the Starbucks location was forced to move down the street to where it still operates today.

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Impress your friends by taking them to the real first Starbucks location

Even though the Rhode Island Building is no longer there, you can still visit the original Starbucks location. In fact, 2000 Western Avenue is only a three-minute walk from the current storefront. Even better, you're not likely to encounter any lines there, considering the former location of the Rhode Island Building is now a small park. So, if you're really hankering for an authentic Starbucks experience, we recommend first braving the line at 1912 Pike Place (don't worry, it moves relatively fast). 

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Once you get your coffee and have had a chance to peek at the unique collectibles featured at the oldest Starbucks store, you'll want to grab some snacks. Since the Pike Place Starbucks doesn't serve food, hence why the line moves fast, we recommend grabbing some hot and steamy pierogis from Piroshky Piroshky just a couple doors down. Once you're clutching your Starbucks in one hand and a bright yellow bag filled with flaky pierogis in the other, you have officially earned your Pike Place Market passport stamp. 

Then, take three minutes to make the mini-pilgrimage to Victor Steinbrueck Park, which is not only newly revamped, but also boasts beautiful views of Elliott Bay. Before you continue on to your Seattle adventures, make your way back through Pike Place Market to catch a glimpse of some flying fish and sit at the bar at the Athenian Inn where they filmed a scene from "Sleepless In Seattle" to truly get the full Pike Place Market experience.   

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