Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Leaves Washington State, Moves to Florida

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has revealed that he and his wife, Sheri, have moved their private family office to Miami as they enter what they portray as their “retirement” years, according to a LinkedIn post by the Starbucks founder.

The announcement coincides with Washington state lawmakers advancing a millionaire tax proposal. Schultz’s net worth was estimated at $3.5 billion as of 2026 by Forbes.

Schultz recalled 44 years ago, as they took a cross-country trip that led them to Seattle where he began working for the company.

“Forty-four years ago, Sheri and I made the cross-country trip from NYC to Seattle in our 1979 Audi along with Jonas our Golden Retriever,” Schultz wrote. “We were starting a new life. Sheri would be the breadwinner in the family, taking on a career in design. And I started a new job on September 7, 1982, at a place called Starbucks.”

He remembered how the original Pike Place store offered only whole bean coffee back then. Since then, it has become the most visited Starbucks location in the world.

“The history of the company is bound up in the very foundation, walls and floorboards of our first store in the city’s historic market,” Schultz wrote.

Schultz said he and his wife have yet to adapt to their new lifestyle.

“For those of you who know us well, we have entered the “retirement” phase of our lives. (A term we are both just getting used to.),” Schultz wrote. “And we have moved to Miami for our next adventure together. We are enjoying the sunshine of South Florida and its allure to our kids on the East Coast as they raise families of their own.”

Schultz discussed the importance of Seattle’s role in the company’s growth, as well as the importance of the city’s residents. Schultz underscored how many Pacific Northwesterners helped give Starbucks its unique character.

“Like many other Seattle-based companies, Starbucks today stands on the shoulders of the many Pacific Northwesterners who built the company,” he wrote. “It is our hope that Washington will remain a place for business and entrepreneurship to thrive, creating essential opportunity for those in Seattle and the surrounding areas.”

Schultz discussed the ways in which the city changed over the years, and how he and his wife tried to help out in the local community.

“We focused on doing our part to help those at risk and facing hard times in our city,” Schultz wrote.

He discussed Sheri’s Schultz Family Foundation, which launched in 1990, as a means of addressing the community’s needs. The foundation is now run by a longtime associate.

“We have entrusted the leadership of the Foundation to our dear friend Vivek Varma with a mandate to accelerate our philanthropic investments to drive meaningful change,” Schultz wrote. “While our private family office will move to Miami, our Foundation will continue operations in Seattle.”

Schultz ended the post highlighting his and his wife’s appreciation for the city, also known as the headquarters of Microsoft and ground zero for grunge music with bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

Schultz did not directly address the millionaires tax proposal in his post. The measure, which has passed the state House of Representatives and is awaiting action in the state Senate, would impose a nearly 10 percent annual levy on personal earnings exceeding $1 million, potentially affecting high-wealth individuals like him.

Schultz stepped down from Starbucks leadership roles amid labor controversies.

During his return as interim CEO from 2022 to 2023, the company faced allegations of violating labor laws as workers pushed for unionization. The National Labor Relations Board charged Starbucks with hundreds of violations, including firing organizers and closing unionized stores.

Schultz testified before a Senate committee chaired by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), defending the company’s practices. He said Starbucks had not broken laws, offered strong wages and benefits, and was open to bargaining—but maintained there was no need for unions. The interim stint ended in March 2023 when Laxman Narasimhan assumed the CEO position.