The Art of Coffee |February 2, 2026

The Romance Of Coffee - The Story Of The Third Place

Amongst coffee legends that I have accumulated over the years, there is one story I love to tell again and again because it changed the world of coffee, especially here in the United States. Although this tale crosses multiple borders and includes many facets of the coffee world, it is predominantly a tale of romance, and like many great romances, it starts in Italy.

Before we get there, though, join me in 1966, in Berkeley, California, on the corner of Walnut & Vine, as Dutch immigrant Alfred Peet opens his first roastery. Growing up in a coffee-business-centered family in the Netherlands, Alfred found a deep passion for the stuff. In the 1930s, he worked for Twinnings in London as a Tea Taster, and while on assignment for evaluating tea in Indonesia, he came across dark-roasted Indonesian coffee, which he found amazing.

Pursuing his passion for coffee again, he moved to San Francisco to work for a coffee importer and had a deep and transforming realization:

I came to the richest country in the world, and they have the lousiest coffee!

The Mission of Alfred Peet

His new mission was formed: introduce and teach the American public what good coffee is. Quality beans, perfect roast, freshness from roast to cup. Now we find ourselves back in Berkeley in 1966, where his first café opened, and the revolution is said to have begun.

In the year between 1970-71, three young entrepreneurs studied under Alfred Peet at that shop. Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker, today known as the three founders of Starbucks, studied the craft, learned about roasting and blending, absorbed the lessons of quality taught by Peet, and opened their first copycat roastery in Seattle in 1971.

Now take a moment to understand that these shops sold beans. They were not the cafes as we know them today, but by 1980, Starbucks was the largest coffee roaster in Washington.

In 1982, a 29-year-old coffee appliance salesman named Howard Shultz joined the operation as the Director of Retail Sales and Operations. He felt an instant connection to the Starbucks operation and worked hard for its success.

A Trip to Milan

A year later, Howard attended a Trade Show in Milan, Italy. (We finally made it to Italy!) Here, legend says that Howard has a deep, life-changing revelation. In the sharing of a cup of coffee in the relaxed atmosphere of the Italian Café, couples shared deep conversations and loving stares. There was a sense of community and connection, as people called out customers by name and even busy workers could swing in for a shot of espresso, take a breath, and reset for the day ahead. You could people-watch, enjoy a newspaper, and still feel part of the scene. There was a romance to coffee, and in the mystery, excitement, and sense of being momentarily separated from the toils of everyday life, Shultz says he saw the future.

From this insight was born the “Third Place” concept. Originally a cafe between home (first place) and work (second place), where community, relaxation, connection, and conversation were fostered mindfully as goals beyond the coffee. This community hub would continue to evolve with the rise of laptop computers and smartphones, people using the café for remote work, for job interviews, and a host of other purposes that the café culture would support.

I think I love this story because of that moment. When you are so in tune, you see the invisible, all of the things happening within and around, that are not immediately obvious to the eyes.

However, in 1983, no one really saw this in the same way as Shultz. Here, a division between the founders and Shultz emerges and causes him to resign and open his own cafes (Il Giornale), which were an instant success. With investors, Shultz was able to purchase the Starbucks Corporation in 1987. In 2026, Starbucks runs almost 40,000 cafes worldwide and, despite some ups and downs, continues to expand.

The Romance of Coffee

But let’s go back to the romance of coffee for just a second. Coffee quality is something on my mind every day. The process, the roast, the freshness of the beans, and the crafting of the perfect cup are things I take seriously. I am reminded, though, that coffee can be so much more when viewed through the lens of its romantic possibilities. The unseen things, the feelings and experiences that are created around the sharing of coffee.

The handing of a cup to your sweetheart with aroma, warmth, and comfort.
The moments with good friends, talking about their travels over a great cup of coffee.
Ducking into a café in a foreign city for a moment of respite.
Book club discussions are enhanced through the sharing of coffee.
The ritualistic making of the perfect cup is a shared experience.
The coffee moment where life slows down and you are transported from the daily tasks.
The coffee date, filled with nuance and possibilities, in a warm and cultured space.
The non-verbal love language of making and sharing a cup.

No matter how you choose to experience your coffee, we wish you a heart-warming Valentine’s Day!