Trouble is brewing for the country’s most famous coffee brand, as Starbucks announced it will lay off 900 workers and close down shops across the country, including dozens in New York City, some of which are unionized.
The Big Apple closures —including seven in Brooklyn — follow a Sept. 25 announcement from Starbucks that it plans to shutdown select shops as part of a review of its coffee houses in North America. The goal of the review is for every coffeehouse to deliver a “warm and welcoming space,” according to a public statement from Starbucks chairman and CEO Brian Niccol.
“During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed,” Niccol said in the announcement.
A public Google document was released listing the closings. Although some locations are unionized, a Starbucks spokesperson said it “was not a factor” in the decision-making process.
The Brooklyn Starbucks locations scheduled for closure include 309 Gold St. in Downtown Brooklyn, 45 Hoyt St. near Boerum Hill, 3 Flushing Ave. and 625 Atlantic Ave. in Fort Greene, 578 Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn Heights, and 969 First Ave. in East Williamsburg.
Other New York City closures are listed below (except where noted, all locations are in Manhattan).
- 330 W. 34th St.
- 219 First Ave.
- 111 University Place
- 145 Third Ave.
- 140 West St.
- 750 Sixth Ave.
- 510 Sixth Ave.
- 372 Greenwich St.
- 444 Broadway
- 405 Broadway
- 230 Varick St.
- 393 Third Ave.
- 261 Fifth Ave.
- 360 Lexington Ave.
- 871 Eighth Ave.
- 156 W. 52nd St.
- 969 First Ave.
- 11 E. 59th St.
- 159 Columbus Ave.
- 2252 Broadway
- 284 Saint Nicholas Ave.
- 1488 Third Ave.
- 550 W. 145th St.
- 2045 Broadway
- 245 E. 80th St.
- 21-02 49th Ave. (Long Island City, Queens)
- 21-03A Broadway (Astoria, Queens)
Some of the positions getting cut include non-retail employees. Starbucks notified those employees of the cuts on Friday, the company said.
“We will offer generous severance and support packages, including benefits extensions,” Niccol said.
Some coffeehouse workers might be transferred to other locations.
“We’re working hard to offer transfers to nearby locations where possible and will move quickly to help partners understand what opportunities might be available to them,” Niccol said. “For those we can’t immediately place, we’re focused on partner care, including comprehensive severance packages.”
Meanwhile, New York City coffee drinkers shared their thoughts about the closures on social media. Many people said they would not miss their local Starbucks. One commenter said the coffee was “overpriced and overrated.”
Another person said the company “built a brand, and then destroyed it.”
John, a native New Yorker from Manhattan, was “very sad” to hear that hundreds of workers would lose their jobs as a result of the closures.
“That’s very sad. It’s a lot of people,” he said.
Coffee drinker Karin said she was surprised that her local Upper West Side location was closing because it was often crowded.
“I’m shocked it’s not staying,” she said. “I liked the brown sugar shaken coffee, my dog liked the pup cup. How will I explain to her no more pup cups?”
The closure sweep comes after Starbucks shut its iconic Astor Place location last year, and its Park Slope spot in January — just months after its workers unionized. The Greenwich Village shop also poured its last cup of coffee on July 29, 2024. When it opened on March 30, 1995, it was the largest Starbucks in New York City.
A version of this story first appeared on Brooklyn Paper’s sister site AMNY
