Howard Schultz

Yeah, he was building the operating system for us to be able to open the store, design the stores, which more or less I had done, build them, operate them, train them, and create the system to handle the flow of customers. So his job was much harder than mine.

Yeah, he was building the operating system for us to be able to open the store, design the stores, which more or less I had done, build them, operate them, train them, and create the system to handle the flow of customers. So his job was much harder than mine.

Don't embarrass him. No, there was no technology.

Don't embarrass him. No, there was no technology.

Not at that time, no.

Not at that time, no.

Yeah. I mean, eventually, when they did get point-of-sale terminals, they were DOS-based all the way through, like, 2008, right? Yes, yes. Like, the iPhone was out, and you guys had DOS-based point-of-sale systems. Sounds right. But, obviously, technology was not the secret sauce.

Yeah. I mean, eventually, when they did get point-of-sale terminals, they were DOS-based all the way through, like, 2008, right? Yes, yes. Like, the iPhone was out, and you guys had DOS-based point-of-sale systems. Sounds right. But, obviously, technology was not the secret sauce.

So let's take it forward from this 88, 89, 90. The first market after Chicago, after you sort of righted that ship, that you decide to enter on the West Coast is LA.

So let's take it forward from this 88, 89, 90. The first market after Chicago, after you sort of righted that ship, that you decide to enter on the West Coast is LA.

That's the big fight between Howard and I. I don't think I realized it was a big fight. I just felt in my bones we had to go to LA.

That's the big fight between Howard and I. I don't think I realized it was a big fight. I just felt in my bones we had to go to LA.

And he said, we're not ready for LA. We're going to San Diego. I said, San Diego?

And he said, we're not ready for LA. We're going to San Diego. I said, San Diego?

Who's in San Diego? No, we're not going to San Diego. We're going to LA. And I've got the location. You wanted to play in the majors.

Who's in San Diego? No, we're not going to San Diego. We're going to LA. And I've got the location. You wanted to play in the majors.

So we had a meeting about it, and it erupted. Erupted into a... Bad, a bad scene. And one thing led to another. We did go to LA. I'm shocked. We did go to LA and it was fine. And your conviction of we have to go to LA, was that for?

So we had a meeting about it, and it erupted. Erupted into a... Bad, a bad scene. And one thing led to another. We did go to LA. I'm shocked. We did go to LA and it was fine. And your conviction of we have to go to LA, was that for?

The equity of the brand, I could see, I could envision the warm weather and everyone walking around with our cups and the media and the celebrities and just the iconic way. And there was nothing in the market, nothing at all. that even appeared to be in the business that we were in. And anyone who was doing it was not doing it well. We had to go.

The equity of the brand, I could see, I could envision the warm weather and everyone walking around with our cups and the media and the celebrities and just the iconic way. And there was nothing in the market, nothing at all. that even appeared to be in the business that we were in. And anyone who was doing it was not doing it well. We had to go.