Original Starbucks (Pike Place)

The Original Starbucks is at 1912 Pike Place, in Pike Place Market, and it is the oldest Starbucks store in the world. The company was founded by Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin and Zev Siegl, and its first shop opened on 30 March 1971 at 2000 Western Avenue, nearby. After about five years it moved to its current spot on Pike Place, where it has traded ever since. Today it is known as a tourist attraction that draws crowds, and they are part of the experience.

The shop has kept its early appearance and is subject to design guidelines because of its historic significance, so it keeps more of an old-fashioned look than most branches. When it opened, the business sold whole bean coffee, tea and spices. It is one of a small group of historic Starbucks stores in the area that the company calls its Heritage Market.

Think of it as a quick stop rather than a place to linger. Crowds are largest in summer, at weekends and in the middle of the day, so arriving early in the morning gives you the best chance of a short wait. The reason to come is the history and the setting. Check opening hours on the Starbucks website or app before you go.

The shop suits fans of coffee history and visitors who want a souvenir from the place where the company began. Families with young children may find the queue the main challenge, so it is worth sending one person to wait while others browse the stalls nearby. Allow 15 to 45 minutes depending on the line.

According to the history of Pike Place Market, the store moved to 1912 Pike Place in 1977 and has operated there continuously since, which makes it a fixed point in a market that has changed a great deal around it. Look closely at the old-style shopfront and fittings while you wait.

Remember that Pike Place Market has many independent coffee options too, so if the queue is long you could just take a photograph of the shopfront and buy coffee elsewhere. Le Panier and Piroshky Piroshky are on the same stretch of Pike Place, so you can pick up a pastry before or after. The Public Market Center sign and Rachel the bronze pig are a short walk south.