The Starbucks coffee shop on Sixth Avenue and Pine Street in
downtown Seattle sits serene and orderly, as unremarkable as
any other in the chain bought years ago by entrepreneur Howard
Schultz. A few years ago however, the quiet storefront made front
pages around the world. During the World Trade Organization talks
in November 1999, protesters fl ooded Seattle’s streets, and among
their targets was Starbucks, a symbol, to them, of free-market capitalism
run amok, another multinational out to blanket the earth.
Amid the crowds of protesters and riot police were black-masked
anarchists who trashed the store, leaving its windows smashed and
its tasteful green-and-white decor smelling of tear gas instead of
espresso. Says an angry Schultz: “It’s hurtful. I think people are
ill-informed. It’s very diffi cult to protest against a can of Coke, a
bottle of Pepsi, or a can of Folgers. Starbucks is both this ubiquitous
brand and a place where you can go and break a window. You
can’t break a can of Coke.”
The Starbucks coffee shop on Sixth Avenue and Pine Street indowntown Seattle sits serene and orderly, as unremarkable asany other in the chain bought years ago by entrepreneur HowardSchultz. A few years ago however, the quiet storefront made frontpages around the world. During the World Trade Organization talksin November 1999, protesters fl ooded Seattle’s streets, and amongtheir targets was Starbucks, a symbol, to them, of free-market capitalismrun amok, another multinational out to blanket the earth.Amid the crowds of protesters and riot police were black-maskedanarchists who trashed the store, leaving its windows smashed andits tasteful green-and-white decor smelling of tear gas instead ofespresso. Says an angry Schultz: “It’s hurtful. I think people areill-informed. It’s very diffi cult to protest against a can of Coke, abottle of Pepsi, or a can of Folgers. Starbucks is both this ubiquitousbrand and a place where you can go and break a window. Youcan’t break a can of Coke.”
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