People sit in an unlicensed Starbucks cafe in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. Real Starbucks merchandise is imported from neighboring countries to stock the three cafes in the city, but all are unlicensed. Starbucks filed a lawsuit in an attempt to shut down the trademark violation but the case was shuttered after the owner allegedly threatened lawyers hired by the coffee house. (AP Photo/Ali Abdul Hassan)
BAGHDAD — Everything from the signboard outside down to the napkins bears the official emblem of the top international coffee chain. But in Baghdad, looks are deceiving: The “Starbucks” in the Iraqi capital is unlicensed.
Real Starbucks merchandise is imported from neighboring countries to stock the three cafes in the city, but all are operating illegally. Starbucks filed a lawsuit in an attempt to shut down the trademark violation, but the case was halted after the…
