2 -1 - IMAG3026 Frappuccino clock2 - 1 - IMAG3059 SleevesI think the world’s largest collection of Starbucks collectibles might belong to Bay Area resident, Sue Fox. And I mean, the largest collection of all things Starbucks outside of what’s inside the Starbucks Support Center or Howard’s personal collection. She has cards galore. She has entire displays from Starbucks. There are clocks, Starbucks playing cards, the series of Starbucks – Doonesbury collectibles, Starbucks snow globes, sleeves, Mazagran, pins, shirts, an entire book of in-store promo materials, and much, much, more. As I looked through her collection, I asked “Sue, about the only thing that seems to be missing here is Joe Magazine. Do you have Joe?” She said, “Oh yes, I have all three issues. They’re still in a box.” The things on display at the Coffee Convention represent a tiny fraction of what she owns in Starbucks collectibles. Starbucks used to do so many really, really unique things. The display that talks about giving a card that “will grow” on them – that was the year that the sleeves that went with the cards had actual seeds in them that one could plant.

Once in a blue moon, I’ll hear people say things like, “there’s so much stuff inside Starbucks.” I always think, that’s a person who had absolutely no idea what the Starbucks era from about 1992 to 2005 was like.

Without further ado, I am posting a few photos of Sue Fox’s collection of Starbucks collectibles. Notice that in her collection, she has the original 1996 psychedelic Starbucks paper cups that were used to celebrate Starbucks’ 25th Anniversary:

2 -1 - Seeds cards display2 -1 - IMAG3067 japan city mugs2 -1 - IMAG3040 pins2 -1 - IMAG3037 ornaments2 -1 - IMAG3028 paul mccartney2 -1 - IMAG3025 1996 Anniversary Blend Paper cups2 - 1- miscellaneous snow globes and more2 - 1 - IMAG3062 paperbags 10 Oct 142 - 1 - IMAG3061 starbucks t-shirts and caps2 - 1 - IMAG3060 Display of Sue's collection

I’ve mentioned it before, but if you want to reach Sue Fox, her email is StarbucksEditor@Yahoo.com. She is the producer of the annual Starbucks Coffee Collector’s Convention.

So I participated with a group of about 50 people, who flew in from all over the world, to enjoy the collector’s convention. People were there to trade Starbucks cards, gain information, enjoy the Starbucks museum display (see above – Sue’s collection), and listen to the guest speakers. There were three guest speakers: myself, Sue Fox, and John Bucks, the founder of BucksCard.com. I had an entire hour to fill up to talk about Starbucks. It was much easier than I thought it would be. Once you get me talking about Starbucks, I can’t stop! I told stories like going to the headquarters Pilot Plant for a special roasting of a Reserve coffee and many more. I meet partners who don’t know about the Pilot Plant all the time. It makes for a good story.

On the Friday of the convention, about 30 people all took a bus tour around. We went to the Coffee Gear Store (which has a cute new Halloween t-shirt available right now), 1912 Pike Place, and University Village to experience Teavana, Evolution Fresh, and an Evenings Starbucks.

Here are a few photos from our adventures out and about:

2 - 1 - IMAG2996 Len smiles at 1912 Pike Place2 - 1 - IMAG2994 Packed at 1912 Pike Place2 - 1 - IMAG2989 going into 1912 Pike Place 10 October 20142 - 1 - IMAG2980 coffee con group in front of the SSC2 - 1 - IMAG2954 Coffee con group at the Coffee Gear Store 10 Oct 142 - 1 - IMG_9788140397844 Megan and Melody in front of the SSC 10 October 20142 - 1 - IMAG2947 halloween shirt at the coffee gear store

During the “trade and sell” part of the convention, I set up a table and sold copies of my book, Tales of the Siren: A StarbucksMelody. The woman who sat at a table adjacent to me sold charms and jewelry made from used Starbucks cards. She runs a business called CoffeeCharms.com. I was entranced by her jewelry! She makes beautiful bracelets, necklaces and more:

2 - 1 - IMAG3091 Card earrings2 - 1 - IMAG3090 The Siren - Charms2 - 1 - IMAG3085 Starbucks card necklaces2 - 1 - IMAG3081 bracelets2 - 1 - IMAG3080 coffee charm jewelry 11 October 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the people who came to the convention were avid Starbucks card collectors. This was a group that was incredibly knowledgeable about card and their collectibility! I learned a lot!

I will say that this convention got me thinking about customers and their unique self-created relationships to the brand. Sue Fox is collecting Starbucks stuff in a fantastic kind of way. Winter is on a life-long journey to visit every Starbucks in the world. Some people may recall that Beautiful Existence made the news in 2013 for eating only Starbucks food (or Starbucks food-products from their subsidiary brands such as Teavana or Evolution Fresh). And yep, there’s me. Just a Seattleite reporting on all things Starbucks from their backyard and always hoping for as many great experiences as possible.

Hope you enjoyed the many photos and I hope to see you at the next Coffee Collectors’ Convention. I heard Sue Fox mention that she’d like to do Anaheim, as she could potentially work in a trip to Disneyland Starbucks. I love that idea! Anaheim is a convenient place for me to visit! Again, if you want information about the Starbucks Collectors’ Convention, email Sue at StarbucksEditor@Yahoo.com.