1. – C – The phrase 2000 by 2000 refers to a 1990s era mantra that was internally and externally common at Starbucks: The corporation hoped that they would be able to operate 2000 Starbucks locations by the year 2000. I’ve talked many people who remember the 1990s era of Starbucks and confirmed this mantra. This was a hard question! It’s mentioned in this historic SeattleTimes article:  http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960729&slug=2341589
  2. – B – Caffè Verona was definitely blended to pair with Irish whiskey in an Irish coffee drink at Jake O’Shaughnessy’s restaurant in Seattle. If you haven’t done your research, you might have picked the chocolate answer, but that is totally false. I confirmed the Irish whiskey answer with the original proprietor of Jake’s: http://starbucksmelody.com/2016/02/13/verona-story-whiskey/
  3. – D – Starbucks first introduced the egg nog latte in October 1986. It’s a slight trick question since it was originally offered as an Il Giornale beverage, but it was a Howard Schultz – Dave Olsen creation: http://starbucksmelody.com/2011/10/13/the-story-of-the-eggnog-latte-a-starbucks-tradition-since-october-1986/
  4. – A- The 3 original founders of Starbucks were Gordon Bowker, Jerry Baldwin, and Zev Siegl. You could just go to Wikipedia to find that information.
  5. – D – The original logo said “Coffee, tea, and spices.” That’s also something well-established that you could figure out with just a Google search.
  6. – C – Starbucks calls their employees “Partners.” It’s been that way for a long time. In the 1992 Starbucks annual report, Howard describes it as follows:
    “Our “employees” are called partners, and this is literally true, since every individual is offered stock options.  We seek to seamlessly interweave variables that ensure quality for the customer with literal ownership in the company.”
    http://starbucksmelody.com/2010/02/14/the-1992-starbucks-corporation-annual-report-its-the-first-one-online-for-you-to-enjoy/
  7. – D – The first Starbucks outside of North America was in Tokyo, Japan, opened in August, 1996. This is something that Wikipedia references as well. In August 1996 when Starbucks entered Japan, it made news, and articles like this popped up in major news sources:
    http://articles.latimes.com/1996-08-03/news/mn-30840_1_starbucks-coffee
  8. – A – Starbucks first opened in Seattle, Washington, in 1971. Everyone should have gotten this one right! 🙂
  9. – D – A pound of Sumatra in 1971 would have been $1.75 – This information came from research I did looking at Seattle Times historical archives on microfiche. You would have found the answer here: http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/03/22/pike-place-starbucks-history/
  10. – A – Yukon Blend has been around since 1971. There’s a little bit of its history here: http://blogs.starbucks.com/blogs/customer/archive/2009/08/11/the-bear-is-back.aspx and it’s mentioned in this article here too: http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/03/22/pike-place-starbucks-history/
  11. -C – In April 1984, Starbucks began serving espresso beverage in one store at 4th and Spring, in Seattle. This is in the book Pour Your Heart into It. This information is also mentioned here: https://news.starbucks.com/news/howard-schultz-dream-fulfilled-starbucks-to-open-in-Italy
  12. – D – Starbucks teamed up with Tom Douglas to create Thanksgiving Blend. A Google search could get you this answer. It’s mentioned here: https://news.starbucks.com/news/coffee-talks-turkey-as-starbucks-introduces-new-bean-blend-for-thanksgiving
  13. – A – White Arrow Blend is not a Starbucks coffee blend. Both Serenade Blend and Light Note Blend were launched together in 1998 when Breakfast Blend was brand new: http://starbucksmelody.com/2013/08/05/shining-a-spotlight-on-starbucks-breakfast-blend-and-milder-dimensions/. Starbucks Viennese Blend was around for a long time before being discontinued. You could probably Google it. Viennese Blend is mentioned here: http://starbucksmelody.com/2016/02/10/1989-throwback-coffee-menu-descriptions/
  14. – D – The “stealth Starbucks” is Roy Street Coffee and Tea.
  15. – B – Chicory was added to Starbucks New Orleans Blend. This is one of those blends that I’ve heard lore about for years from partners who have been with the company since the 1990s. There’s almost no mention of it anywhere except that it is mentioned in this 1989 Starbucks training manual under the section “Grinding Do’s and Dont’s”: http://starbucksmelody.com/2016/09/15/grinding-coffee-beans-starbucks-1989/
  16. False: Fall and Thanksgiving Blend are not the same thing. Fall Blend is a grocery store coffee blending Kenya, Peru, and Sumatra. http://starbucksmelody.com/2016/09/10/fall-blend-2016/ . Starbucks Thanksgiving Blend is offered in Starbucks stores (and at StarbucksStore.com) and is a blend of Guatemala Antigua and Sumatra.
  17. False: Holiday Blend and Christmas Blend are not the same thing. This cause confusion every year as many partners will tell customers they’re the same, but they are not. http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/11/19/do-you-know-whats-not-in-starbucks-holiday-blend/
  18. – B – There were 5 Starbucks stores when Howard Schultz first started working for the company in early September 1982: http://starbucksmelody.com/2015/03/22/pike-place-starbucks-history/
  19. – B – Chantico was a gourmet drinking chocolate: https://www.buzzfeed.com/mathewguiver/the-starbucks-chantico-was-the-greatest-thing-that-ever-happ?utm_term=.okP64337Nm#.ycV4bxxe3v
  20. – C – Tiazzi was a very short-lived blended juiced tea: http://starbucksmelody.com/2012/03/18/tiazzi-blended-tea-beverage-a-starbucks-history-lesson-from-1998-1999/
  21. – A – The first Starbucks bottled beverage sold in grocery stores was Mazagran: http://starbucksmelody.com/2010/08/07/a-starbucks-history-lesson-bottled-starbucks-mazagran/
  22. – D -The first 3 syrups were Almond, Vanilla, and Hazelnut. This is something I’ve heard many times in talking to very long-term partners.
  23. – D – The “short” beverage is an 8 ounce beverage, and still available for all hot beverages. It fell off the menu board in the late 1990s when Starbucks added the Venti size. The menu boards don’t easily accommodate 4 beverage sizes, so “short” is not mentioned.
  24. – C – Anniversary Blend, Christmas Blend, and Reserve coffee Reserve Christmas all have Aged Sumatra as a component. For more an Reserve Christmas: http://www.discoverstarbucksreserve.com/home/2016/3/5/starbucks-reserve-christmas-2015-december-2015
  25.  – B – The answer is Magic Johnson: The NBA superstar Magic Johnson once co-owned 105 Starbucks locations. http://www.businessinsider.com/magic-johnson-nba-star-to-businessman-2016-2
  26. – A – This was an extremely tough question. I stumbled upon this when I was doing research for a second book I was writing about Starbucks. Blue Anchor Coffee was Starbucks first foray into the grocery store aisle. It sold for about a dollar less per pound than in-store coffee, intentionally priced a little cheaper. Blue Anchor Coffee existed from 1977 to 1981. I was reading Seattle Times historical archived newspaper on micro fiche and stumbled upon this: Seattle Times historical archives, Business Thursday, April 16, 1981, Section E, page 61.

If you knew the answer to #26, I’m impressed!