Starbucks Decides to Close 250 Stores in North America
The company is reevaluating its branches in North America in line with efficiency and customer experience criteria in its operations.
US-based global coffee chain Starbucks has announced that it will close approximately 250 of its stores in North America where the desired experience cannot be provided and financial targets are not being met.
Rationale Behind the Closure Decision
In a statement made by Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams, it was stated that coffee stores in North America were carefully evaluated. It was noted that locations where the desired experience could not be consistently delivered to customers and employees, or where a path to acceptable financial performance could not be found, were identified.
Number and Percentage of Stores to Be Closed
According to the statement, approximately 250 coffee stores will be closed in the coming days of this week. It was recorded that this specified number corresponds to roughly 1 percent of the more than 18,000 coffee stores across North America.
Company Policy and Growth Commitment
It was stated that as part of portfolio management, some coffee stores are closed every year while others are opened. The company emphasized that its growth commitment in North America continues and that this process is a normal part of portfolio optimization.
A Difficult Step for Employees and Communities
Drawing attention to the difficulty of the store closure decision, the statement said, "Closing any coffee store is a difficult decision, and we know today's news will be hard for the employees, customers, and communities that will be affected by it."