In 1995, I went on a coast-to-coast trip across the US. When we got to San Francisco, the sun was shining and the people were relaxed. We wandered into a Starbucks, the first I’d been in.
We sat enjoying our coffee and the buzz of conversation around us. There’s a willingness to share your life with the world that seems particularly characteristic of California. The overheard conversation ran like this:
“I like this place. I come here when I’m stressed out.”
“The people seem OK. Not the usual geeks.”
“Hey, man, my sister’s a barista.”
Welcome to Starbucks.