ATTN: Starbucks Fans

Within the next year, Starbucks plans to close 600 stores, a dramatic increase from what was initially planned to be 100 closures. The stores were described as "not profitable and not projected to provide acceptable returns in the foreseeable future" by Starbucks in a 2006 statement. Starting the end of July and continuing into the middle of August, Starbucks is set to close seventy percent of the stores that were opened after the start of 2006, consequently affecting nearly 12,000 workers. According to Harold Schultz, the returned Starbucks chief executive, "when you walked into Starbucks you should be able to smell the aroma of coffee and ... you were kind of smelling burnt sandwiches, especially at breakfast". In May, Starbucks believed that a 28% decrease in its second quarter profit can in part be the result of increases in food and gas prices. They did not release the list of store closures, but with a Starbucks located on seemingly every major block, I do hope that it does not entirely ruin the daily Morning routine of it's faithful customers.