On September 25, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol informed his employees in a public memo that the company would be cutting 900 corporate roles and closing down stores.
However, the memo didn’t share exactly how many stores would close and where they’re located—leaving employees scrambling to compile that information on their own.
Starbucks is framing the restructuring as a part of Niccol’s broader “Back to Starbucks” plan, a sweeping initiative designed to return Starbucks to its heyday in the mid-2010s. That includes redesigning store interiors, rethinking menus, and making the ordering experience feel less “transactional.”
As of right now, Starbucks is still on shaky financial ground, facing a six-quarter streak of same-store sales declines. It appears that the new job and store cuts are i