Inside La Marzocco: Starbucks’ original espresso machine gets a high-tech makeover

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Walking into the La Marzocco distribution center and showroom, the ambiance is pretty low profile. Amidst the rows of smooth, stainless steel coffee machines, the static sound of frothing milk hangs in the air as a single cappuccino is prepared. Positioned on a quiet corner in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, the warehouse and showroom blend into the… Read More…

Going digital: Starbucks ‘Pick of the Week’ card now available through iOS app

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Starbucks’ mobile app is becoming a little more robust, as the Seattle-based coffee giant is now incorporating the “Pick of the Week” program into its iOS app. In the past, customers could pick up a “Pick of the Week” redemption code (pictured to the right) inside stores to redeem a free app or other digital content…. Read More…

Starbucks roasted over Square confusion, glitches

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Have you tried Square to pay for your coffee at Starbucks? If your experience was anything like what FastCompany’s correspondents and volunteers have gone through, you might not want to try it again. The site today published an extensive piece documenting the futile attempts of various Starbucks baristas across the country to get the much-ballyhooed… Read More…

How to bypass the New York Times paywall: Go to Starbucks

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Those who like reading the New York Times but don’t want to pay for an online subscription have a new option: Starbucks.  The New York Times announced a new partnership with the Seattle coffee giant yesterday, offering Starbucks customers free access to 15 NYT articles per day that are read using the Starbucks Digital Network… Read More…

Fortune’s most-admired companies: Amazon 3rd, Starbucks 5th, Microsoft 17th

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According to Fortune, the state of Washington has some admirable companies. Fortune released its 2013 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list today, with five Washington corporations in the top 25. Amazon finished at an impressive No. 3, while fellow tech-titan Microsoft came in at No. 17. Three other Washington companies made the top 100: Starbucks at… Read More…

The Howard Schultz Starbucks story now in comic form

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Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has had a pretty interesting career thusfar. So much so, in fact, that he’s already written two books on his experiences. And now, if words aren’t totally your thing, you can read about Schultz’s story in comic book form. Blue Water Productions‘ newest title penned by C.W. Cooke is called Howard Schultz: The… Read More…

Analyst: Starbucks to let customers order from car dashboard

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Last week, we wrote about a Seattle-based startup allowing people to order coffee from their mobile phones. Now, another local coffee company could be entering the seamless ordering space, but on a much bigger level. In its earnings call last week, Starbucks announced that 60 percent of the 1,500 shops it plans to open in… Read More…

Square COO resigns over sexual harassment claims

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Square COO Keith Rabois is departing the mobile payments company due to sexual harassment allegations. Rabois penned a blog post about his decision, denying the allegations but saying that he did not want this situation to be a distraction for the company. He says he was in a physical relationship with another Square employee, but then states these… Read More…

Cash-based payment platform PayNearMe lands funding from Maveron

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PayNearMe, a cash-based payment platform based in Silicon Valley, just raised a $10 million Series D round from investors including Seattle-based Maveron. This is interesting to note because Maveron, the consumer tech-focused VC firm, is co-led by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. Back in August, Starbucks invested $25 million in Square, the well-known mobile payments company…. Read More…

Microsoft, Nordstrom, Starbucks make Fortune’s 100 best companies to work for

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Six Washington companies made it to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list this year, with Microsoft (75), Nordstrom (88) and Starbucks (95) all making the list. REI was the top-ranked Washington-based company, coming in at No. 17. Law firm Perkins Coie was next at No. 33, while The Everett Clinic ranked 58th. Google ranked… Read More…