Starbucks enthusiasts in San Francisco will encounter less outlets to procure their java jolt from the renowned coffee brand by the culmination of this month.
The company has affirmed that seven outlets in the Californian metropolis are set to cease operations on October 22, a piece of news initially reported last week by San Francisco Business Times. The specific motives behind Starbucks' decision to cease operations at these locations remains unclear.
In communications with Eat This, Not That!, an official spokesperson for Starbucks disclosed that Starbucks reviews its store portfolio annually and implements changes geared towards better serving its customers. However, it was not clarified why each one out of the seven San Francisco stores must halt services.
"Every single year as part and parcel of normal business proceedings, we assess our store portfolio to identify how we can optimally cater to our community and customer preferences," said the statement. "This involves opening fresh locations, pinpointing stores necessitating investment or renovation, looking into places needing an alternative format and occasionally revisiting our market presence."
Jessica Borton—regional vice president for Northern California region—issued a letter earlier this month notifying district managers about these impending closures. Despite acknowledging it as a hard choice in her correspondence , she didn't reveal specifics about reasons behind these closures.
Here's where you'll find all closing Starbucks shops in SF:
- 201 Mission Street
- 442 Geary Street
- 425 Battery Street
- 398 Market Street
- 780 Market Street
- 555 California Street -1401 Van Ness Avenue
Although avid followers may feel disappointed given fewer choices due to closure of seven cafes downtown; rest assured that there won't be dearth of options even after closures—with fifty-two functioning cafes remaining within city boundaries. Further good news is company's launching or resumption of operations across three locations in San Francisco downtown during past half-year and improvement works underway for four more. Workforce at the closing Starbucks' have been given opportunity to shift to other branches, as confirmed by Borton.
This termination announcement appears a bit over year since coffee brand terminated services abruptly across sixteen outlets spanning several major cities--with closures comprising six each within Starbucks' home turf--Seattle & Los Angeles region, two in Portland (Oregon), one each in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), & Washington D.C. Back then, company cited decision was taken acknowledging spike in crime levels- encompassing drug abuse - at these cafes which pose risk to the safety of both employees and customers.
