Why is Starbucks called Starbucks?

Why is Starbucks called Starbucks?

The waitstaff in Keelung told me last night it is some old Arabian nights story. But one customer there, in a very nice Starbucks shop overlooking the harbor, beautiful night view of ships coming and going in the darkness and rain, if you like that kind of thing … told me the name comes from an American cartoon or novel or something. Anybody know?

Mr John Starbucks, maybe? Or stars = money? Or just a name?

moby dick

I think Wipt is correct. After a character in Moby Dick.

I believe the story that the company uses is printed on every package of coffee beans, but it may only be certain blends. Starbucks is the name of the mermaid creature that is part of the Starbucks.

And you should have seen the “old” logo… she was much more racy!

No, it’s definitely from the first mate of Captain Ahab’s ship who went by the name of Starbuck (sorry to all you Battlestar Galactica fans). I know this with complete certainly because in the late 80’s I once had to attend to (i.e. wait on) a group of promotion people from Starbucks in my university’s faculty club. They didn’t require much attention (they knew how to make their own coffee) so I was able to watch some of their slideshows. Yes, the name Starbuck’s came from the Mpby Dick character.

What I remember most from that group though was that no one could begin a sentence without first paraphrasing, in the politest tone possible, the previous speakers thoughts. “Now what I think I hear you saying, and correct me if I’m wrong, but what you seem to be implying, or suggesting is that…” ZZZZZZZZZZZ

Was his name STARBUCK or STARBUCKS, with the S or no S? Was his first name Starbuck or was that his last name?

I take it this Starbucks guy in the Melville novel of Moby Dick liked to drink coffee. Really? In 1851, sailors drank coffee on whaling ships? Mocha or latte?

So WHO is the girl in the STARBUCKs logo? A mermaid? and why the two white fish tails going in opposite directions.?

I am just curious. When i ask the waitstaff they just shrug their shoulders and say Herman who?

No relation to Jimmy Tarbuck then ?

(I didn’t know about Starbucks charging ambulancemen $130 for water during 9-11. Beggars belief.)

While driving across eastern Washington a few months ago, I went past a road sign pointing toward the town of Starbuck, Washington. It was north of Walla Walla. I didn’t have time to make the detour, but I wondered how many of the shops there were named "Starbuck something.

Imagine choking on your coffee at the Starbuck Cafe, being taken to nearby Starbuck Hospital in a Starbuck Ambulance, and if you were unlucky, ending up in the Starbuck Cemetary.