WEEK 2:

The destination of San Francisco that we toured this week was in our own backyard. We explored the University of San Francisco campus and the area surrounding it. As we walked around the hilly streets of this area, many different signs stood out to me and quickly caught my eye. However, one in particular that was very noticeable was the Starbucks Coffee sign, hanging over the corner of the busy intersection of Masonic Street and Fulton Street. Around this toured destination there were so many different types of signs, anywhere from signs for small businesses to political signs advertising Barack Obama’s campaign, which all give this particular area of San Francisco its own unique feel.

The Starbucks sign I saw is not only very familiar to me, but it is an iconic symbol of my home. Starbucks Coffee was founded in Seattle, Washington in 1971. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I am able to find a Starbucks in nearly every grocery store, every shopping complex and on numerous street corners. This particular sign read “Starbucks Coffee” in its well-known green font, standing massively on a beautiful symbolic San Francisco type house. One thing I found interesting about this sign was the combination of the worldly, iconic Starbucks Coffee logo with the building that can be identified so easily as “San Francisco” architecture. When looking closely at this sign, there is a map of the world in the background, which can tell a person how franchised this coffee shop is. This sign is an example of public signage, for a corporate business. Public signage addresses a universal crowd, seeing as Starbucks shops are all over the world.

There are nearly 20,000 Starbucks coffee shops around the world. It is the most well-known coffee shop around, and can be found nearly everywhere you look. Interestingly enough, the Starbucks symbol is so recognizable that the company doesn’t even put their name on the coffee cups anymore. This shows that not all signs need to have writing on them to be recognized. Almost all people, when walking down streets can recognize a Starbucks coffee cup in one's hand. The fact that the logo is placed on the cups shows that not only are Starbucks Coffee public and corporate signage, but it is also moveable signage.

As we toured the University area, I imagined what it was like 100 years ago. Obviously back then the coffee shop wouldn't have been there, however the campus was. College campuses are relatively busy places, so I imagine the area surrounding the University has always been occupied by many people. The busyness allows for businesses, such as Starbucks to thrive in areas as such. Throughout the century, the area surrounding the University of San Francisco has changed drastically, with the coffee shop being a more modern icon. It shows how the old history of the campus and parts of the area around it are melting in with newer, more modern aspects of today’s society. 

It was nice being able to tour the area around the University, so I can become as familiar with my surroundings as possible. The campus and the area surrounding has it’s own feel to it, that would differ from other campuses. I was able to observe all types of signage on this excursion, but the sign that stood out most to me was the well known Starbucks Coffee sign. The simplistic, iconic sign reminded me of home but also showed me that a sign can be universally known by all around the world. I continue to look forward to what next week's adventure around the city will entail.