Hello, my name is Winter, and I have never been a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Nevertheless, since 1997 (the same year Wu-Tang Forever was released) I have been on a personal mission to visit every Starbucks in the world. My original motivation was simply to accomplish something singularly unique. However, since that time, I have discovered many joys in the traveling, the photography, and the puzzle-like nature of my mission. Also, I want to do what I can to create a better world.
What do I look like? This is me after a few days sleeping in my car on a typical road trip. Okay, here's a better photo . And here's a gallery of wacky photos. And here's some more info about me. Feel free to e-mail me at winterene@yahoo.com.
ATTENTION MEDIA!!!
Radio, television, newspaper, magazines, etc. My name is Winter. Only Winter. Past articles referring to a name other than Winter reflect inaccurate/imprecise reporting because they do not explain the entire sequence of events that led to my legal changing my name to Winter. Just use the name Winter, and your article/report will be accurate. Just Winter. ALSO: I'm not from California. I'm from Houston, TX. Don't know how that got into some articles.
DISCLAIMER: This web site is not affiliated with Starbucks Corporation. You can view the official Starbucks site at starbucks.com
Use of the photographs on this site is acceptable, but with my permission. Commercial use may incur a fee. Full-sized image files or prints available--inquire about cost.
READ THIS BOOK! The End of Faith, by Sam Harris, was actually published in 2006, and I have just now turned my attention to it after hearing him interviewed on Talk of the Nationabout his new book, Letter to a Christian Nation. I am a bit disappointed that it took me two years to discover The End of Faith, because, after having read just a few dozen pages, it appears that Sam Harris is saying some of the same things I have been thinking for the past 10-15 years, since my "awakening". Let me be the first to say that the book has flaws, as did Harris' interview on TOTN, but despite these flaws, this book is a must-read for anybody who truly wants to have a positive impact on changing the disastrous course that our world is taking. The paperback is only 227 pages, minus the epilogue, afterword, and notes--there is truly no conceivable reason for you not to read this book, even if it is just a few passages at a time while sitting in traffic or waiting in line at the grocery store.
TAKE A STAND AGAINST PREJUDICE
In 2006 I resigned from a contracting assignment conveniently located just four miles from my (parents') house in Houston. I was dissatisfied with my manager's style and not really suited to that environment, but I would have stuck it out the full six months if not for one thing. A coworker was using unacceptable language, referring to homosexuals as "fags" and "dykes". I reported this to human resources, and I was told some sort of action would be taken, but after two months of waiting the coworker continued to use the unacceptable language. Note that I am not a homosexual. I'm all about women. This is important, to realize that I took action not because I personally felt offended by the words. In fact, I look forward to a world in which there are not such things are slurs--where all words are acceptable, and there are no hostile thoughts behind language. But in today's world, slurs create unnecessary conflict, and I oppose unnecessary conflict because it interferes with progress. Furthermore, tolerance of prejudice is tantamount to tacit approval. So I resigned. I encourage any of you faced with a similar situation to make whatever sacrifice is necessary to take a stand against prejudice. Prejudice is but one of the myriad problems facing humans, but until it is eliminated, it will continue to impede human progress.
SPOTLIGHT STORE
Duddell Street, Hong Kong
This singularly unique Starbucks is the coolest in Hong Kong, and one of the coolest I have seen in the entire world--perhaps only Capucines in Paris is better. The store follows the "bing sutt" (ice house) concept of old, as explained by two signs. The store displays old photos of both the building and adjacent Ice House Street as well as tributes to the Pike Place store. I cannot even begin to list all of the cool decorations and memoriabilia in the store--you'll just have to save up and visit Hong Kong when you can!
STORE OF SHAME (presented in the spirit of being fair and balanced, like Fox News)
Approximate total: 8595 company-owned locations, of which at least 1069 have closed or relocated, for a total of 7522 active corporate-owned locations in North America of an estimated 7526, or 99.9%. Internationally, 2132 across England, Japan, France, Spain, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Puerto Rico, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Portugal, Chile, The Bahamas, New Zealand, Australia. The estimated total locations excludes licensed stores, which I do not visit, because, with a few unusual exceptions, they tend to sap the will out of my soul.
Please contact me with comments or information about Starbucks I've missed in the United States or Canada. If you know of a store I've missed, please check to see if it is in this city index, already on my list or if it is a licensed store. I only visit stores operated by Starbucks, not ones that are licensed out to other companies. Additionally, while I do plan to visit stores everywhere in the world, I have not listed international stores for countries I have not visited. My e-mail address is winterene@yahoo.com.
