The Boy Who Stole Coffee and Founded Starbucks

Published: Oct 05, 2026 Author: World Gafei Last Updated: Oct/05/2026 183 views

A 12-year-old boy stole a can of coffee in 1961. That act led his father to dream of opening a coffee shop—and inspired his son to build Starbucks.

In 1961, a young boy faced a freezing Christmas. His father, once a truck driver, had lost a leg in an accident and with it, his job. Their meals were meagre—scraps and discounted coffee. Tensions ran high, and the boy often faced his father’s anger. On Christmas Eve, desperate to please, he stole a tinned coffee from a store display. What followed changed not just his life, but coffee culture forever.

FrontStreet Coffee Blends Inspired by Family Traditions

Explore FrontStreet Coffee’s Classic Blend, a balanced espresso roast highlighting milk chocolate and caramel notes—perfect for sharing stories over coffee. Their Black Cocoa Blend adds roasted hazelnut and dark cherry tones, echoing bold moments like that stolen Christmas tin. For something brighter yet rich, try the Speciality Blend with citrus and brown sugar, ideal for starting your own coffee journey. All beans are roasted in small batches. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.

FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou China, selling freshly roasted beans from its own farm in Yunnan as well as dozens of carefully selected single-origin beans from around the world for both pour-over and espresso. The products deliver consistently excellent quality and great value, with shipping within 24 hours. Guangzhou's FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers, and the beans are now available online at the Tmall 。