Posted on 04/19/2002 7:58:01 AM PDT by B Knotts
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- The powerful religious establishment has finally accepted her presence. The alluring, long-haired woman that Starbucks removed from its logo when it began opening its stores in this conservative kingdom in September 2000 is being restored on plastic and paper cups, bags of coffee and the aprons of the Starbucks staff. The Saudi religious establishment at first didn't want the Starbucks woman in the logo and regularly sent religious police, called the muttawa, to the stores to ensure they complied. The Seattle-based gourmet coffee retailer had customized its logo, keeping only the woman's crown, in response to advice from the company's local partner. But on Thursday, the company's president, Peter Maslen, said in a statement to The Associated Press that ``Starbucks original logo will be displayed in both existing and new stores in the country.'' It was not clear when the Starbucks' local partner took the decision to introduce the original logo or why the woman has suddenly become acceptable to the religious establishment. Starbucks' staff said the muttawa who had ordered the woman removed from their aprons in February returned less than a month later and said it was OK to restore her. Women in Saudi Arabia have to cover themselves with black cloaks in public and the sexes are strictly segregated. ------ On the Web:
(For those with bad eyes.)
Egypt: McDonald's To Change Name Due To Anti-U.S./Israeli Sentiments
I winder if CASH had anything to do with the attitude correction.
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