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Starbucks to Close 250 Underperforming U.S. Stores

By Drooid · Sep 26, 2026, 10:25 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Starbucks Closes Stores

Starbucks announced the closure of 250 underperforming U.S. stores this week.
Thirteen Bay Area locations, including San Jose and Concord, will close with a final day on Sept. 26.
Starbucks will reassign employees to nearby stores or provide severance if reassignment is impossible.
Starbucks aims to retrofit 1,500 North American stores by Sept. 30, the fiscal-year end.

Summary

Starbucks Serves Finale

Starbucks will serve its final coffee at Riverside Drive Saturday at 9:30 p.m.
The café operated nearly 30 years, becoming a landmark beside Bob’s Big Boy.
Patrons praised its freestanding design, large windows and natural light.
Marla Seraphine noted the nearest remaining Starbucks is inside an office building with limited daylight.
Starbucks has not confirmed whether the Burbank store is included in the 250-store closure plan.

History

Historical Context

In 2008, Starbucks shuttered 600 underperforming U.S. stores as the Great Recession deepened, cutting $1.2 billion in losses under CEO Howard Schultz's direction. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that 12,000 workers were reassigned or received severance during that wave in the first quarter of 2009. Today, Starbucks plans to close 250 U.S. stores, including 13 Bay Area sites and the iconic Burbank café, echoing the 2008 downsizing strategy. The repeated closures signal a shift toward smaller, high-margin locations and intensified digital sales, prompting the National Labor Relations Board to demand stronger job-security provisions.

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Starbucks Closes Stores

Starbucks announced the closure of 250 underperforming U.S. stores this week.
Thirteen Bay Area locations, including San Jose and Concord, will close with a final day on Sept. 26.
Starbucks will reassign employees to nearby stores or provide severance if reassignment is impossible.
Starbucks aims to retrofit 1,500 North American stores by Sept. 30, the fiscal-year end.

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