Starbucks announced Monday that it is closing at least 16 stores across America due to reports of drug use and other safety concerns.
The company will close six stores each in Seattle and Los Angeles, and two more in the Portland area, according to the Wall Street Journal. One store in Washington, D.C. and another in Philadelphia will also close by the end of July, the outlet continued.
Starbucks reportedly received complaints about drug use by customers in some of their locations, WSJ continued.
“We read every incident report you file—it’s a lot,” Starbucks operations leaders Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson said in a note to employees.
Ignoring The Pleas Of Shocked Onlookers, Man Continues Masturbating In Starbucks https://t.co/LliL8GTthk
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 15, 2022
“We cannot serve as partners if we don’t first feel safe at work,” they continued. Starbucks refers to employees at “partners,” the outlet noted. Employees at those stores will be transferred to other area locations, WSJ stated. (RELATED: Hollywood Actor Glued His Hand To Starbucks Counter In Bizarre Protest)
To tackle rising safety concerns, Starbucks is giving store managers the option to close restrooms, reduce operations, change store layouts, and limit seating, WSJ continued. The company will be providing employees on how to deal with active shooters and train them in conflict de-escalation, the outlet reported.