Starbucks plans to permanently close five Washington coffeehouses and cut eight jobs at its Seattle headquarters

Starbucks is preparing to permanently close five coffeehouses in Washington and eliminate eight positions at its Seattle headquarters, as per state filing. The changes will affect 51 workers, with worker separations expected to happen between Nov. 14 and Dec. 4, the organization stated.

Five Washington stores to close

The required filing is tied to Starbucks’ earlier announced plans from Sept. 24, the company said. The five Washington coffeehouses identified for closing are:

• Redmond retail store: 7625 170th Ave. NE, Redmond
• Rainier Avenue: 9150 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle
• Leary Way and 11th Avenue Northwest: 999 Leary Way NW, Seattle
• Wellesley and Belt: 2401 W. Wellesley Ave., Spokane
• 164th and Mill Plain: 918 S.E. 164th Ave., Vancouver

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Store employees affected

The affected employees include baristas, shift supervisors and a coffee leader, as per the notice.

Starbucks said some employees will have the option of transferring to other company locations in the region.

The company said the closures are expected to be permanent. Terminations are set to happen between Nov. 14 and Dec. 4, and affected workers got at least 60 days’ notice.

Eight Seattle headquarters positions eliminated

The job cuts also include eight positions at Starbucks’ Seattle Support Center headquarters at 2401 Utah Ave. S.

The positions affected are an accountant, senior manager, director, two service representatives, two managers and a project manager.

Seattle locations previously reported

MyNorthwest covered the Seattle locations, which are in Ballard and Rainier Beach, last week.

The Redmond location is on 170th Ave. NE. The Spokane coffeehouse is at 2401 W. Wellesley Ave., while the Vancouver store is at 918 SE 164th Ave.

Closures follow broader Starbucks announcement

The Washington closures come after Starbucks announced last month that it would shut 250 North American stores.

In a letter to employees, Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams stated that the targeted locations either aren’t providing acceptable financial results or can’t offer the kind of experience Starbucks wants for customers and workers.

More than 700 U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late 2021, but Starbucks doesn’t support the unionization effort, and the union and the company have yet to reach a labor agreement.

FAQs:

1. What is Starbucks planning to do in Washington?

Starbucks plans to permanently shut five coffeehouses in Washington. The closures will impact locations in Seattle, Redmond, Spokane and Vancouver.

2. How many workers are affected?

A total of 51 workers are affected by the closures and layoffs. This includes workers at the shops and Starbucks’ Seattle headquarters.