Who were the founders of Starbucks?

The founders of Starbucks are correctly identified as Gordon Bowker, Zev Siegl, and Jerry Baldwin. These three individuals opened the first Starbucks store in 1971 in Pike Place Market, Seattle. Initially, the company focused on selling high-quality coffee beans and equipment, rather than brewed coffee. This foundational emphasis on quality and specialty coffee paved the way for Starbucks to grow into the coffeehouse chain it is today.

In understanding the significance of the correct answer, it's important to recognize that Howard Schultz joined the company later, in 1982, and he played a crucial role in expanding Starbucks into the coffeehouse model we know now. However, he is not one of the original founders. The complexities of Starbucks' history illustrate how its early founders set the stage for future developments under Schultz's leadership.