In response to my previous article about Starbucks museum collectibles, a regular reader of this blog emailed with four pictures of his favorite items from his collection. These are great! I’ve emailed with this reader a couple of times (though he’s not a commenter) and I can definitely say he’s a very passionate partner in Virginia.
^ These books are highly collectible. Both were sold in Starbucks stores and produced in conjunction with Sunset Books. The first is Passion For Coffee and it is a recipe book produced in 1994, with a number of the recipes featuring Starbucks coffees. I have the first book in my collection, and featured it in a 2009 blog article on this site. The second book is called the Pleasures of Summer, and was produced in 1996 by Sunset Books. I’m not very familiar with the 1996 book. I did some Amazon.com searching, and realized that it is possible to still buy these books from used book sellers. If you do buy them, please click through the Amazon.com widget on the right side of this blog! Then I’ll actually earn something very tiny! (I’m definitely not making money on this blog. LOL).
All I can say is that I love the mugs that were based on the coffee stamps. There used to be so many colorful, decorative, and creative mugs in the stores. I always thought Organic Serena had such a pretty coffee stamp. I think that Sanani and Serena were both discontinued sometime in 2008.
^ I am not familiar with these “Siren’s Tale” booklets (or leaflets) but I will say that I recognize the name on them. Notice that in small print the name “Jason Simpson” appears on the book. He’s still a partner. He is the same person that wrote a very large amount of the book that is the current grayish-colored coffee master book (released in 2011?) which simply says, “Marked by a love for the bean,” on the first page. Jason knows coffee.
^ What a pretty French press. I remember seeing this in stores, and passing it up. Oh, I do regret that!
That’s it. I thought you’d enjoy these photos of collectibles too.
By the way, please don’t forget to visit SeattlesBestMelody.com too!
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Aw, I remember the Sirens Tale booklets. I always enjoyed getting those early on as a partner. On the back page, there would be a profile of a partner. They were interviewed with questions about their passion for coffee and Starbucks. Also, more times than not, it would show their growth with Starbucks from barista, all the way up to some leadership or management position. It always inspired me to continue to work harder when I was a barista in college.
It’s always fun seeing what other people have in their collections. I’ve shared a link to your blog post on my Facebook page, I LOVE COFFEE MUGS.
@I Love Coffee Mugs – Just want to say thank you for sharing this on your facebook page. Facebook is such a great way to share the blog. 🙂 I appreciate it.
oh…there’s soooo much ‘stuff’ that Sbux used to carry, regularly. The featured stamp cups are beautiful. Why they would ever want to get rid of that packaging….I can’t imagine. But, there’s so much going on with Sbux now that seems backward to me….I don’t even know what to say anymore.
Thanx for taking your time to do this blog Melody, as always! greatly appreciated.
@DeniseR – ohhhh I miss the old coffee packaging! I can go with the flow with so many things – A variety of products is fine, Starbucks has always experimented. Fewer core coffees are offset by the Reserve offerings. But the new packaging just lacks creativity and spark!
I love the coffee stamp mugs! And I so remember the French press. The stores now are just so sterile and the merchandise the way it is displayed is just not like it used to be. Love seeing the earlier merchandise. Thanks.
The Siren’s Tale was the company newsletter, back when we had mailings from the SSC to the stores every week. Each store would get 4-5 copies to keep in the back room for partners to read. Eventually, it was discontinued because the anniversary notices were taking up too much room as the company was growing. While it didn’t keep the title, similar information and stories were put online for partners. Interesting that you have a collection, I’ve still got a couple in storage, but only the ones that have my name listed.
Wow, that French press is gorgeous! One of these days I will have a French press sitting on my kitchen counter. I’m hoping to win one of the 1,000 Starbucks is giving away. If not, I’ll just have to purchase one because the smoothness of taste cannot be replicated with a regular drip coffee machine (just my opinion). 🙂 Oh, and those stamp coffee mugs are nice. They remind me of the stamp book Starbucks gave away to encourage people to try all their roasts by collecting the stamps. I believe a free pound of coffee was the reward. I miss the old stamp packaging…much better than the current packaging that makes the different roasts difficult to distinguish (at least from afar).
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this! I’m always on the lookout for vintage Starbucks things at yard sales and second-hand stores. (I love that French press!)
That French Press is boss. That is all.
One of my favorites is to find different type of mugs to whatever starbucks i visit. i also have the original partner hat as well as the old and new partner apron.
Wow! That french press is really beautiful! It could fit into my new provence styled kitchen!
Melody,
That press is very beautiful. I find my taste in coffee changing again. I think I want it stronger. I may have to grab a french press. Actually, I may have one hidden away somewhere. 🙂
~Allie
LOVE LOVE LOVE the copper French press! I have the Starbucks Passion recipe book too 🙂
Starbucks totally needs to bring that French press back. 🙂
I think the French press came out during an Anniversary Blend launch a few years ago – perhaps when the bag design changed? I like it then and now. I think my favorite press was the ornate silver and acrylic one they had a few years ago. Very stylish (maybe art deco styled?)
I used to have that Passion book. It had free drink coupons in the back.
Thanks for sharing these.
Lovely collectibles, in each one you can see a true love for coffee brewing (if you’ll excuse the pun!)
if any one is intested, im selling mine.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-starbucks-35th-anniversary-copper-french-press-/170860477368?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c813fbb8#ht_500wt_922
i picked up that french press at a rummage sale for a dollar! best dollar i ever spent!