A new wave of Starbucks closures suddenly hits the Bay Area

"The Starbucks at 4094 18th St. in the Castro District announced that it would permanently close this week in a sign posted to its storefront, as first reported by the San Francisco Standard. The closure was called an "incredibly difficult" decision. The farewell note also thanked customers for patronizing the coffee shop. "We know this may be hard to hear - because this isn't just any store. It's your coffeehouse, a place woven into your daily rhythm, where memories were made, and where meaningful connections with our partners grew over the years. We're deeply grateful for the community that's been built here," the note read in part."

"The Castro Starbucks isn't the only Bay Area shop slated for closure. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the location at 49 Jefferson St. in Fisherman's Wharf will close. The outlet also listed the following impacted San Francisco Starbucks sites: 44 Montgomery St., 462 Powell St., 689 Townsend St., 350 Rhode Island St., 4094 18th St. and 1501 Fillmore St. The Press Democrat also recently reported that six Starbucks stores in Napa and Sonoma counties will close."

"A spokesperson for Starbucks told SFGATE via email that they could not share a list of specific stores slated for closure but said that store signs will go up and customers will be notified by email. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.) The string of closures comes as hundreds of Starbucks stores across the U.S. and Canada prepare to close and "approximately 900 current non-retail partner roles" are eliminated amid a broader company restructuring plan. Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced Thursday that the company anticipates closing low-performing stores and locations that were "unable to create the physical environment" that customers and partners could expect."

Multiple Starbucks locations are closing across the Bay Area and beyond, including the Castro store at 4094 18th St., which posted a sign calling the decision 'incredibly difficult' and thanked customers for building community there. Additional San Francisco sites and six stores in Napa and Sonoma counties are listed among closures. A Starbucks spokesperson said specific store lists were not being shared but customers will be notified and store signs posted. The company faces a broader restructuring that eliminates approximately 900 non-retail partner roles and will close low-performing stores and locations unable to deliver expected physical environments, per CEO Brian Niccol.

Read at SFGATE