A Reddit user recently shared a story about an uncle and aunt who invested in Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) in the 1990s and held the shares for decades. According to the poster, the couple purchased "a ton of stock" in the coffee chain and used the dividends to fund their retirement. Despite the long-term investment, the couple reportedly never tried Starbucks coffee.
The story details a specific incident where the couple attempted to order a "big vanilla latte" at a location near their daughter's workplace several years ago. However, they realized they had forgotten their wallets and canceled the order, walking out without ever consuming the product.
The Reddit post highlighted the contrast between the couple's investment strategy and the spending habits of many coffee consumers. While the couple collected dividends from their shares, other investors spend hundreds of dollars annually on Starbucks beverages. The post noted that other commenters related to the story, with one stating they own McDonald's, Coca-Cola, and Altria stocks without consuming their products, joking that the companies are "paying me to NOT buy their products." Another commenter mentioned their father made enough from Apple stock (NASDAQ: AAPL) to fund his retirement despite disliking the company's computers and never owning an iPhone.
The article concludes by noting that buying Starbucks stock today is different from buying it decades ago and that past performance does not guarantee future results. It suggests that the story illustrates the potential benefits of identifying a business early and holding onto it as it grows.
