In 1976, JoAnne and Julius Shaw began selling specialty coffee to consumers in their first store at Fairlane Town Center[5] in Dearborn, Michigan.

[1][6] As of February 2007, the company had 131 franchise locations in the United States and another 25 in other countries.

[3] The company makes most of its money selling franchises and equipment, not the product itself.

[3] Most shops close within three years; since the company's founding, more than 100 franchises have failed.

[7] In 2006, the Maryland securities commissioner determined that the company had made "material misrepresentations" to prospective franchisees in violation of state law, and ordered it to release Maryland franchisees from their contracts without penalty.