Starbucks Coffee Company and Earvin "Magic" Johnson's company Johnson Development Corporation (JDC), entered into a joint venture partnership in February 1998. This joint venture, known as Urban Coffee Opportunities (UCO), develops Starbucks Coffee locations in under-served communities throughout the United States. UCO combines the retail strength of Starbucks Coffee with JDC's knowledge of under-served communities in key metropolitan areas.

Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, chairman and CEO of JDC opened on March 1, 2000 the FIRST Starbucks/JDC Store in the Washington, D.C. Metro-area in Hyattsville, Maryland.