Starbucks to Shutter 6 Washington Locations as Part of 250-Store National Closure Plan

Starbucks will permanently close six locations in Washington this weekend as part of a nationwide shutdown affecting 250 underperforming stores across the United States. The coffee giant disclosed Thursday that the closures will result in approximately $300 million in restructuring charges, representing about 1% of its 18,000 U.S. locations, according to Reuters reporting.

The company plans to complete most of the closures by the end of 2026, though the six Washington stores are scheduled to shut their doors this Saturday, September 26. The targeted locations span multiple cities across the state, from suburban Redmond to metropolitan Seattle, Spokane, and Vancouver.

Affected Washington Locations

According to the Starbucks store locator, the following Washington locations will close this weekend. In Redmond, the store at 7625 170th Ave. NE will shutter its doors. Seattle faces the loss of three locations: 999 NW Leary Way, 1700 7th Ave. in the Nordstrom Building, and 9150 Rainier Ave. S. The Spokane location at 2401 W. Wellesley Ave. and the Vancouver store at 918 SE 164th Ave. round out the Washington closures.

A Starbucks enthusiast known as “Winter” compiled a comprehensive spreadsheet tracking all store closures nationwide using information gathered through the Starbucks app, according to SFGate. The spreadsheet confirms Saturday, September 26, as the final day of operations for all affected Washington locations.

Financial Performance Drives Closure Decisions

In a letter to employees obtained by The Associated Press, Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams explained that the company targeted locations for closure based on specific criteria. The stores either fail to deliver adequate financial results or cannot provide the type of experience Starbucks wants for patrons and workers, Grams wrote.

“The locations targeted for the closures either aren’t delivering adequate financial results or can’t provide the type of experience Starbucks wants for patrons and workers,” Grams stated in the employee communication.

Starbucks did not reveal the complete list of store locations slated for closure or specify how many of the 250 stores are located in the United States versus other countries. The organization also declined to share how many of the affected stores are unionized, a notable omission given ongoing labor tensions within the company.

Employee Impact and Relocation Plans

The coffee chain told The Associated Press that it will move affected employees to other stores or provide severance assistance if relocation proves impossible. However, the company has not disclosed how many workers will face job displacement or how many will successfully transfer to other locations. The closure announcement comes amid broader workforce reductions across Starbucks’ corporate structure.

Store closures represent just one component of Starbucks’ broader restructuring efforts. The company laid off 900 nonretail employees when it closed stores in September 2025, marking the beginning of significant workforce reductions. In May 2026, Starbucks eliminated an additional 300 corporate workers and shuttered some underused U.S. offices, according to AP reporting.

Seattle Headquarters Faces Major Job Cuts

The Seattle area, home to Starbucks’ corporate headquarters in SoDo, experienced particularly significant workforce reductions. In August, the company announced plans to lay off over 200 corporate employees from its headquarters location, creating substantial economic ripples in the local community.

Economics experts analyzing the corporate cuts identified two distinct groups within the company bearing the brunt of layoffs: IT personnel and store design teams. The dual-pronged approach to workforce reduction suggests Starbucks is streamlining both its technological infrastructure and its physical expansion strategy.

Restructuring Charges and Financial Outlook

The $300 million in restructuring charges represents a substantial financial commitment as Starbucks works to optimize its retail footprint and improve overall performance metrics. The company evidently believes that closing underperforming locations will strengthen its remaining store network and improve long-term profitability, even as it absorbs significant short-term costs.

The closures affect approximately 1% of the company’s 18,000 U.S. locations, suggesting a surgical approach to addressing performance issues rather than a wholesale retreat from American markets. Starbucks operates thousands of additional stores internationally, but the current closure announcement focuses specifically on domestic locations.

With the majority of closures scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, Starbucks appears to be executing a multi-phase restructuring strategy that balances immediate financial pressures against operational continuity. The staggered closure timeline allows the company to methodically relocate employees, transfer inventory, and communicate changes to affected communities without overwhelming its operational capacity.

The Washington closures this weekend mark the beginning of a significant shift in Starbucks’ retail strategy, one that prioritizes profitability and customer experience over raw store count. Whether this approach successfully revitalizes the coffee giant’s financial performance remains to be seen as the company navigates changing consumer preferences and intensifying competition in the specialty coffee market.