💬 QUOTED: “I thought the number I heard was something like close to 200,000 Sharpies we’ve got to track down.”

Misspelled monikers are coming back to Starbucks. As part of new CEO Brian Niccol’s turnaround plan designed to harken back to its roots, the coffee chain is ordering hundreds of thousands of permanent markers so baristas can return to writing customer names on cups.

• Other changes coming to stores include simplified menus, as well as the return of ceramic mugs, condiment bars, and cozy furniture.

Big picture: A challenging consumer environment, worsening customer experience, and rising competition have hurt Starbucks’ performance. Sales have fallen for three straight quarters.

Niccol, who’s still working on a comprehensive turnaround strategy, has said he’s focused on making the chain a “third place” again, referencing the concept of a place outside of the office or home where people meet to work or socialize. Per Niccol, getting there requires more personal touches – like having your name lovingly misspelled by hand.

🐈‍⬛📆 STAT OF THE DAY: For some Americans, today marks the start of No Shave November (or other less family-friendly variants). But for many cat-lovers, the calendar has instead turned to “Black Cat November,” a growing movement aimed at debunking the persistent belief that black felines are bad news. Black cats experience the lowest adoption rates of any coat color, as well as the highest euthanasia rates, per a recent study that examined ~8,000 felines at an urban public shelter.

🤔 DID YOU KNOW? The state of Wisconsin produces more than half of all cranberries in the world, with 5% of their stock sold fresh and the rest made into sauce, juice, dried fruit, and other foods.

📰 WORTH A READ: A Financier Penned a Crime Novel. Prosecutors Want to Know How Much Was Fiction → (Wall Street Journal)