Popular coffee chain closing hundreds of stores, laying off 900 employees; here are the affected Ohio cafes
Even with pumpkin spice season in full force, a popular destination for coffee and teas is closing hundreds of locations.
Starbucks announced that in an effort to “make a comeback,” they’ll be closing around 400 stores and laying off around 900 employees. Starbucks’ stock has dropped by 9% this year alone, and stores’ sales have dropped for six straight quarters. RJ Hottovy, an analyst at Placer.ai, said that these closures were driven by “consumers who moved away from urban centers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” forcing Starbucks to shed leases that are less busy.
More independent coffee shops are also on the rise and becoming increasingly popular than Starbucks.
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In September of 2024, Brian Niccol took over Starbucks. He’s well known for “revitalizing” famous brands, like Chipotle and Taco Bell. His goal is to turn Starbucks into the cafe space that originally made people fall in love with it—more stores now have chairs, couches, tables, and power outlets to entice customers to hangout, baristas are drawing on the cups again, self-serve milk & sugar stations have been reinstated, the open-bathroom policy for non-paying customers has ended, and 30% of the food & drink menu has been cut. In February, 1,100 corporate employees were laid off under Niccol.
While the extent of the closing stores hasn’t been released yet, we do know that multiple in Ohio have been affected and have already closed or will be closing:
- Neil Ave. & 11th Ave., Columbus
- 401 Vine St., Cincinnati
- 3568 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati
- 401 E. High St., Oxford
- 8000 Princeton Glendale Rd., West Chester
More could be closing, so stay tuned.
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