Starbucks to Close Seven Locations in San Francisco
San Francisco, California – In a recent announcement, Starbucks revealed that it will be closing seven of its locations in San Francisco, effective October 22. The decision was part of a larger evaluation of the company’s store portfolio, according to a spokesperson.
“Each year as a standard course of business, we evaluate the store portfolio to determine where we can best meet our community and customers’ needs,” the spokesperson stated. “This includes opening new locations, identifying stores in need of investment or renovation, exploring locations where an alternative format is needed, and, in some instances, re-evaluating our footprint.”
While the closures may come as a disappointment to some Starbucks fans in San Francisco, the company has also opened three new stores in downtown San Francisco within the last six months and is currently renovating four other locations. Starbucks remains committed to investing in the city and finding ways to better serve its partners and customers.
“We remain dedicated to investing in the City in meaningful and important ways that meet our partners and customers where they are – in the best way we know how,” wrote Jessica Borton, Starbucks’ regional vice president for Northern California, in an internal memo shared with CNN.
The closures of these Starbucks stores in San Francisco follow a trend of well-known chains leaving the city in recent years. Whole Foods, CB2, Anthropologie, and Nordstrom have all closed their San Francisco locations, according to previous reports by CNN.
As Starbucks adjusts its store portfolio and continues to adapt to changing consumer needs, it remains to be seen how these closures will impact the coffee giant’s presence in San Francisco. Starbucks enthusiasts may have to travel a bit farther for their favorite caffeinated beverages, but the company’s commitment to the city and its customers remains steadfast.