Starbucks Is Closing Seven San Francisco Stores This Month

In a not-super-surprising turn of events, Starbucks will close seven of its San Francisco stores by or on October 22, San Francisco Business Times reports. All seven lie amongst the SoMa, Union Square, Financial District, and Cathedral Hill neighborhoods — though, according to an internal letter to workers from Starbucks’ regional vice president for Northern California Jessica Borton, which was shared with the Business Times, the company will invest $2.5 million in four other shops in the city. “There are several factors Starbucks considers when tasked with the tough decision of closing a store,” Borton wrote, “but it is all part of ensuring a healthy store portfolio.”

The stores set to close are located at:

• 201 Mission Street
• 442 Geary Street
• 425 Battery Street
• 398 Market Street
• 780 Market Street
• 555 California Street
• 1401 Van Ness Avenue

The four shops receiving upgrades and renovations include two stores at 201 Powell Street and 390 Stockton Street — indicating the company is joining efforts to double down in Union Square. Locations at 3995 24th Street and 1800 Irving Street will also see inventment. No employees will lose their jobs as all workers will be offered hours at other stores, the Business Times reports; the two unionized shops in the Castro and in the Inner Sunset were not affected.

Starbucks has joined Peet’s and other coffee companies with Bay Area locations in prioritizing to-go options for downtown operations. It’s no coincidence that these closures come at a time when office vacancies in the heart of San Francisco remain stubbornly high nor when Starbucks faces hundreds of complaints from workers through the National Labor Relations Board. For what it’s worth, the closures come after major retailer Target announced plans to shutter three Bay Area stores including one in SoMa.