The hiss of a coffee machine pierces through the hum of buzzing chatter. A chair squeaks and someone zips their bag. Mugs clink and splash. The bitter, yet sweet aroma of coffee grounds perfume the air. Important work meetings, pondering thoughts, even awkward first dates are shared over cups of coffee. The barista’s voice pierces through the coffee shop hum. She calls out,

“Latte for Nick.”

“Thank you.”

“Have a nice day.”

For many, coffee is an integral part of life. It fuels early mornings and late nights. Coffee has been desired, fought for and innovated over centuries and growing it is gruelling work. The journey and life cycle of these beans has led to this very moment.

Sharp, white LEDs fill the space with a clinical light, the clatter of fingers on laptop keys is all around. Leather chairs squeak and groan as people come and go. It smells like coffee and sugar. The barista places a drink on the counter and calls out:

“Grande Iced Vanilla Cold Brew Shaken Espresso with whipped cream and caramel drizzle for Nick.”

In 1852 grocer Henry Saw upped Perth’s coffee game with some patented roasting equipment, making him one of the first to sell freshly roasted coffee to the people of Perth.

By the early 1900s Perth had a number of so called ‘coffee palaces’ that were also licenced to serve alcohol, and that an article from the Perth Gazette on September 26, 1908 described having developed into “houses of the very worst description. Practically none of them ask any questions of their clients and, in the absence of proper police control, it can easily be imagined that there are many things nightly occurring within these places which are by no means calculated to add to the general morality of the people.”

By the 1950s Perth had several late night coffee hangouts, since then it has seen the emergence of cold, batch and many other brews and now it is getting what seems like the final boss in the game of coffee, Starbucks.

Perth will welcome its first ever Starbucks store to the northern suburb of Clarkson. In March plans for the 220 sqm café were approved by the Wanneroo council. The project is being managed by Blackmont Properties; but they are yet to release the start date for the build.

Starbucks begin in Seattle, 1971. The chain soon spread across the United States and by the end of the century had stores internationally. Starbucks quickly gained popularity across Asia. China now has more than 4000 Starbucks stores and Singapore has more than 120. Curtin University marketing associate professor Sean Lee says part of what has driven this success is product placement. He says Starbucks has the money to “spam their name out there” and get people talking about its products.

“I grew up in Malaysia. I used to go to Starbucks as a teenager. We spent a lot of time and money there.”

Mr Lee says the appeal of Starbucks is its ability to cater to local residents. He says this is done through menu items and other products specific to international stores. This was seen in China, a country full of primarily tea drinkers. In China Starbucks sold its usual coffees and a range of tea drinks. Starbucks has adjusted its brand and products to fit within many international markets.

Mr Lee says this is what Starbucks failed to do when they first entered the Australian market.

Starbucks opened its first Australian store in Sydney’s CBD in 2000. In eight years of operation in Australia Starbucks had to close 61 of its 87 stores.

Mr Lee says Starbucks did not gain instant popularity in Australia as there was no attempt to blend into the Australian coffee market. He says Australians “got defensive” seeing this big American company trying to take over the market.

He says Starbucks failed to realise Australia already had a very strong coffee culture with a specific taste, Starbucks did not fit within this taste.

The origins of Australia’s coffee culture can largely be attributed to Italian and Greek immigration following World War II. This immigration spiked after the Government implemented the ‘Populate or Perish’ migration program. Australia welcomed more than 35, 000 Italians between 1945 and 1951 and they brought espresso with them. This Italian influence on coffee stuck around. Australians currently enjoy cappuccinos, flat whites and lattes, all espresso drinks. This is where Australia strays far from the percolated drip coffee enjoyed in the US and sold in Starbucks.

A notable piece of Perth coffee history is the late-night coffee shops popular throughout the 1950s.  One of these popular hangout spots was The Coffee Pot. Located in Wellington Street, The Coffee Pot was owned by Dutch immigrants Prada and Rob van der Nagel. The spot was popular among students and acted as a safe haven for many members of the gay community at the time when homosexuality was illegal. Battye Library historian at the State Library of WA Dr Kate Gregory spoke about The Coffee Pot back in 2020. She described it as more than just a coffee shop. She said it was a tiny cozy coffee lounge where young people came together to enjoy each other’s company among good music and cups of coffee.

Although The Coffee Pot is no longer running, there are many bakeries and cafes that span generations. Culley’s Bakery in Fremantle is a prime example. The bakery was first founded in 1925, back then it was called Culley’s Tea Rooms and it served coffee, tea and milkshakes with its pastries. Since then it has been owned only by members of the Culley family. The bakery is now owned by fourth generation owner Micheal Culley.

He says he still gets customers in the store that his father or even grandfather served. This is what makes owning the business so important for him.

“The shop is like a revolving door; you hope once customers come in they decide to visit us again,”

Michael Culley

He says the Freo streets around his bakery hold a rich history, full of memories of proposals and courtships and lives lived. For Mr Culley the experience at a large chain like Starbucks could never compare to that of a delicious, hot cup of coffee and sweet treat from a local “Nan and Pop shop”. He says the authentic locally owned businesses are what keeps his city alive.

With Perth so full of these stores with rich history and quality goods, it seems silly to even consider average overpriced coffee from a chain like Starbucks, but for many it provides a nostalgic slice of home.

As Mr Lee recalls his childhood in Malaysia, he finds comfort in the classic green logo on the Starbucks cups. For him Starbucks is a comfort, a fond memory from his teenage years. He says this could be the case for other migrants living in Australia. In Perth’s diverse demographic many people might find home in the new Starbucks store.