Article by Dave LaShier

Starbucks, Tim Horton’s, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and lastly Caribou Coffee are the top four retail coffee shop chains in the United States today. Perhaps you have enjoyed a coffee drink at one of these four coffee retailers within the past week! If not I would be very surprised. Of the four, the largest is obviously Starbucks with a total of over 8,000 locations in the United States alone! Caribou Coffee has 322 U.S. locations. Both Tim Horton’s and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf have just under 300 locations each.

These numbers truly state just how significant a player in the retail coffee industry Starbucks truly is, especially when you must consider that Seattle’s Best, with over 160 locations in the U.S. themselves, is a subsidiary of Starbucks. I bet you did not know that! And of course, there are numerous regional retail coffee shops that did not make this list which would include such establishments as Tully’s, Port City Java and Coffee Beanery to name a few.

Almost 50 years ago, 1971 to be exact, is when Starbucks first started selling coffee to hungry coffee enthusiasts. Through this very first coffee shop Starbucks gained notoriety by offering some of the worlds finest coffees, roasting the beans daily and then offering a unique environment for their customers. If you were to ask a Starbucks employee what their company mission is here is the answer you will likely receive: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. So if you are in need of a quality cup of coffee you could easily find a Starbucks close to where you are right now. Starbucks currently has over 15,000 retail coffee shops in 50 countries across the world. It would be highly unlikely for your town or area not to have a neighborhood Starbucks coffee shop where coffee lovers can gather and enjoy their favorite coffee drink. As a true testament to Starbucks success they as a company have become the world’s leading coffee roaster of premium specialty coffee!

With locations primarily located in the Midwest and eastern parts of the United States Caribou Coffee has coffee shops located in 15 states. They are certainly a key competitor to the Starbucks brand in those areas where Caribou Coffee Shops are found. It was 1990 when Caribou Coffee first opened their doors for business. That makes them almost 21 years old and thus a key player in the retail coffee shop business. They say they do not talk about their mission or vision because that is just corporate talk. The goal of the employees at Caribou Coffee is to create a an extraordinary experience that feeds the soul each and every time a customer enters one of their retail coffee shops.

Tim Horton’s offers coffee and donuts in different locations all over United States and Canada, as well. As a company Tim Horton’s is almost 48 years old as they open the doors way back in 1964! They are primarily focused on serving their customers with top quality coffee and offering daily fresh products that satisfy their loyal customers. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is a family company specialized in selling coffee bean/coffee products, rare kinds of tea as well as accessories specifically tailored for both the coffee and tea drinker. Due to their commitment to quality Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has been open for business for nearly 50 years, first opening their doors way back in 1963. Pretty impressive isn’t it! Furthermore, they are dedicated to serving their community and providing a destination and lifestyle quality experience.

No matter which of the above four coffee shop retailers you prefer the quality of their product is superior to store shelf purchased coffee products. Add a dose of passion for coffee, shared by their patrons, and you have a unique mix of success and coffee excitement. Whether Starbucks is your favorite coffeeshop retailer or Tim Horton’s you cannot go wrong by visiting either of these coffee shops in your pursuit of the perfect cup of coffee. I am fairly certain one of the above mentioned four coffee shop retailers will be just around the corner from your home or office. Now enjoy yourself!