Starbucks opened its first store on March 30, 1971, giving the brand 6 energy, Pig energy, and Aries influence. The 6 fits what Starbucks ultimately became much better than generic “indulgence”: a hospitality and service business built around the idea of the coffeehouse as a welcoming “third place” between home and work. Historical sources confirm the first Seattle store opened on March 30, while Starbucks itself traces its origin to spring 1971.
Its Pig timing becomes especially interesting in 1987, a Cat year, one of Pig’s strongest friendly signs. Howard Schultz’s Il Giornale acquired Starbucks, adopted the Starbucks name, and transformed the original coffee bean retailer into the coffeehouse model that would eventually spread around the world. Then in 1995, a Pig year, Starbucks launched the Frappuccino nationally. The drink attracted customers who were not traditional coffee drinkers, accounted for 11 percent of summer sales, and helped push the stock to an all time high.
The opposite pattern appeared in 2025, a Snake year, Pig’s direct enemy. Starbucks entered a major restructuring under its “Back to Starbucks” strategy, reviewing its North American store base and closing locations that management said could not meet either customer experience or financial performance standards. The company said its North American company operated store count would decline after the closures, making the Snake year a clear period of contraction, reassessment, and forced change.
CUE: Starbucks is a strong example of 6 service energy expressed through a Pig brand that repeatedly evolved around human connection. A friendly Cat year transformed it into the modern coffeehouse business, an own sign Pig year produced the Frappuccino breakthrough, and a Snake enemy year brought significant restructuring and closures. Cat, Goat, and Pig users carry cleaner Eastern compatibility with Starbucks, while Snake users sit directly opposite the brand’s imprint and may feel more energetic friction.
