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The starbucks coffee shop on Sixth Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Seattle sits serene and orderly, as unremarkable as any other in the chain bought 15 years ago by entrepreneur Howard Schultz. A little less than three years ago, however, the quiet store front made front pages around the world.

In 1999, Starbucks Corp had 281 stores abroad. Today it has about 1,200 -- and it's still in the early stage of a plan to colonize the globe.

Moreover, the Starbucks name and image connect with millions of consumers around the globe. It was one of the fastest growing brands in a Business Week survey of the top 100 global brands published August 5.

We are going to sea a lot more growth, says Jerome A. Castellini, president of Chieag based Castle Ark Management, Which controls about 300,000 Starbucks shares. The stock is on a run.

But how long can that run last? Already, Schultz's team is hard pressed to grind out new profits in a home market that is quickly becoming saturaied. Amazingly, with 4.247 stores seatered acrosss the United States and Canada, there are still eight states in the United States with no Starbucks stores.

To duplicate the staggering returns of its first decade. Starbucks has no choice but to export its concept aggressively. Indeed some analysis gives Starbucks only two years at most before it saturets the US market. The chain now operates 1200 international outlets from Beijing to Bristol.

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Of the well-known brand, but many others say that Starbucks' latte-sipping sophisticates and piped-in Kenny G music are a real turnoff. They don't feel wanted in a place that sells designer coffee at $3 a cup. Even the thirst of loyalists for high-price coffee can't be stayed positive while those of other retailers skidded.

But now, though employees are still paid better than comparable workers elsewhere - about $7 per hour many regard the job as just another fast-food gig. Dissatisfaction over odd hours and low pay is affecting the...