Venti! Starbucks Founder Pays Giants' Tisch $24.7 M. for Duplex

On Jan. 2, things weren't looking all that bright for Jonathan Tisch, New York Giants co-owner (and, ahem, the heir to the multi-billion-dollar Loews fortune). His team was headed into the playoffs, where they hadn't had a win since 2001.

But, according to city records filed this afternoon, Mr. Tisch closed that day on a massive apartment deal, selling his unlisted duplex at ritzy 950 Fifth Avenue to Starbucks founder and CEO Howard Schultz (and his wife Sheri) for $24.75 million. The Giants have won two massive games since then, and are a match away from the Super Bowl. Maybe Mr. Tisch's good mood was contagious?

On the downside, the deal doesn't quite make the $25-$30 million range that The Post had predicted. Don't weep for Mr. Tisch: The Observer wrote in 1997 that his 10-room, 5,000-square-foot apartment was bought for just $5.75 million, less than a fourth of what he sold it for.

One hopes he's redecorated since the 1990's: One of the reasons it sold for so low back then was Robert A.M. Stern's odd interior design job, apparently quite heavy on the white marble. But 950 Fifth neighbor Dennis Kozlowski's old duplex had worse design: $16.8 million was spent to buy that place and $12 million to renovate; $15,000 was spent on the poodle-shaped umbrella stand and $6,000 on the gold shower curtain.