In the Pacific Rim, we believe the potential is for 4,000 to 5,000 stores. A few years ago, we predicted we' d have 500 stores in the Pacific Rim by 2003, which is now looking very conservative. The other thing is, Starbucks is not just serving the best coffee and roast, but also providing a unique third place experience between home and work. At Starbucks, we provide cozy chairs where you can sit as long as you want and spend time alone or with your friends and family. Yes, our growth in Asia has exceeded our expectations.
People love our products and the overall brand acceptance is very high.
We have great brand awareness in all our international markets, though we don't advertise very much. The store represents a great billboard for us. Once again, the benefits of getting yourself into Index funds shines through. I heard the news on the CEO and the stock is up on the day. At some juncture, you would figure that same store growth would stagnate and that the company's growth would result from entering new markets and building new stores.