Starbucks "Starbucked"

Late one night I couldn't sleep, so I turned on the TV and happened upon C-Span 2's "Book TV" program. Pontificating in Portland's Powell's Bookstore was someone talking about Starbucks. What followed was caffeinated talk that kept me up and watching.

Taylor Clark is the author of Starbucked, a book that examines Starbucks from a business and cultural perspective. While Clark isn't a big fan of Starbucks (he thinks they're the McDonald's of coffee), he shared some fascinating Starbucks facts in his TV lecture:

• When the very first Starbucks opened in 1971, it didn't sell coffee by the cup-- only beans.

• Starbucks' largest store is a five-story building in South Korea.

• The average Starbucks store makes $1 million a year.

• Starbucks' biggest market is in China, a country where people generally don't drink coffee.

• Initially, Starbucks' management was staunchly against adding the Frappuccino to its menu; today, its their biggest selling drink.

People sure are passionate about their coffee, which is why coffee is trendy and political. Starbucks has transformed the industry.

My favorite cup of coffee? It's definitely Starbucks Espresso Roast.