Starbucks said it will close 16 stores, most of them in major cities, for safety concerns for workers and customers. The decision comes after company executives read incident reports submitted by employees, according to a company note.
Employees are “seeing first hand the challenges facing our communities: personal safety, racism, lack of access to health care, a growing mental health crisis, increased drug use and more.” , wrote Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson, senior vice presidents of U.S. operations. in a note sent to employees.
Locations range from historic areas like the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles to traffic centers like Union Station in Washington, DC. Since the pandemic closed the economy in early 2020, mental health problems and drug abuse have increased, while the recent rise in inflation has increased buyer stress.
According to the National Retail Federation, retailers report that organized crime gangs and workplace violence are a growing concern.
“These are the challenges that are being experienced across the country. There are chronic problems of homelessness, substance abuse and social unrest,” a Starbucks spokesman told CBS MoneyWatch. “These are all things we’re familiar with and Starbucks is in a unique position to see these challenges” because of its nationwide location.
Starbucks said it will close five stores in Seattle; six other locations in Los Angeles; two to Portland, Oregon; one in Philadelphia; a location in Everett, Washington; and one store in Washington, DC The company has more than 16,826 licensed and company-owned stores in North America.
Workers at locations that are closing will be able to move to other stores, the spokesman said.
In response to safety concerns and other issues, Starbucks said it offers employees the flexibility to limit or close bathrooms, as well as redesign stores to offer workers a complete line of sight within the store. Other options include changing the opening hours of a store or testing techniques such as bathroom occupancy sensors and new alarm systems, the note adds.
These are the locations where Starbucks plans to close stores:
The angels
- Santa Monica Boulevard and Westmount Drive in West Hollywood
- Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue
- 1st Street and Los Angeles Street
- Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street
- Walk in front of the ocean and moss in Santa Monica
- Carrer 2 and Sant Pere
Seattle
- 23rd Avenue and South Jackson Street
- Roosevelt Square
- Camí de l’Oliva de l’Est
- 505 Union Station
- Westlake Center
Portland, Oregon
- 4th and Morrison
- Gateway to NE Halsey St.
Everett, Washington
- Highway 99 and airport road
Philadelphia
- Carrer 10 and Carrer de la Castanyada
Washington dc
- Union station train room
- In:
- Starbucks
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