top of page

Secret Sips

The CIA's Covert Starbucks

Tucked inside CIA headquarters in Langley is a Starbucks with no sign, no mobile orders, and definitely no names on cups. Known as “Store Number 1,” it serves caffeine to some of the world’s most secretive customers.


Baristas pass background checks, are escorted daily, and can’t scribble “Latte for Agent Smith” on anything. Even the trash is monitored to avoid leaks.


The menu? Standard. The vibe? Whispered. It’s proof that even spies need their pumpkin spice.

ADVERTISEMENTS

A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby & The Great Betrayal

A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby & The Great Betrayal

Ben Macintyre and John LeCarré

Starbucks Ground Coffee

Starbucks Ground Coffee

Breakfast Blend, 100% Arabica

facts.png
FACTS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
Epaulets: When Uniforms Got Fancy
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Epaulets: When Uniforms Got Fancy

Coffee's Origin Story: Goats, Monks and a Fire
FOOD & DRINK

Coffee's Origin Story: Goats, Monks and a Fire

The Bank Vault Full of Cheese
FOOD & DRINK

The Bank Vault Full of Cheese

Why The Moon Looks Bigger on the Horizon
SCIENCE & NATURE

Why The Moon Looks Bigger on the Horizon

Why We're Still Afraid of the Dark. It's not the dark itself...it's what your brain does when the lights go out
SCIENCE & NATURE

Why We're Still Afraid of the Dark. It's not the dark itself...it's what your brain does when the lights go out

Build an App Without Writing a Line of Code
SCIENCE & NATURE

Build an App Without Writing a Line of Code

ADVERTISEMENT

popular.png
POPULAR NOW
White Lamborghini sports car, symbol of Ferruccio Lamborghini’s break from Ferrari and his leap into the supercar world.
HISTORY & INNOVATIONS

The Tractor King Who Took on Ferrari

Photograph of Woman with Red Hair blowing a bubble with green bubble gum to illustrate the origin story of Wrigley's
HISTORY & INNOVATIONS

Wrigley's First Product Might Surprise You

Photograph of a Blue Whale
SCIENCE & NATURE

Why Blue Whales Are Falling Silent as Ocean Heat and Krill Loss Mounts

HISTORY & INNOVATION

The Man Behind the Machine

Photograph of newborn baby sleeping
SCIENCE & NATURE

So...Can Men Really Smell Fertility?

Close-up photograph of a vibrant flower petal nest made by an Osmia avosetta bee, showing layers of purple and pink petals arranged in a delicate, cup-like structure.
SCIENCE & NATURE

The Prettiest Nest on Earth

ADVERTISEMENT

bottom of page