In which year did Schultz create the first Italian-style espresso bar for Starbucks?

The establishment of the first Italian-style espresso bar for Starbucks in 1984 marks a pivotal moment in the company's history and the evolution of coffee culture in the United States. Howard Schultz, who joined Starbucks in 1982, was inspired by the espresso bars he encountered during his travels to Italy. He recognized the potential to introduce this concept to American consumers and began to implement changes in Starbucks' business model, shifting its focus from primarily selling coffee beans to serving brewed coffee and espresso drinks directly to customers.

This shift not only helped define Starbucks’ identity as a coffeehouse chain but also played a significant role in popularizing espresso drinks in the U.S. Schultz's vision transformed Starbucks into a community gathering place that offered more than just coffee, fostering a new coffee culture and paving the way for the specialty coffee movement that would grow substantially in the following decades.