Starbucks to shutter about 250 stores in latest round of cafe closures
Starbucks plans to close about 250 North American cafes, representing roughly 1% of its regional footprint, as part of an ongoing turnaround.
Finance Reporter
SEATTLE — Starbucks Corp. announced plans to close approximately 250 cafes across North America, representing about 1% of its total store footprint in the region, according to a report published Sept. 24, 2026, by CNBC Retail. The closures form the latest stage of the coffee chain's ongoing operational turnaround under company leadership.
Strategic Context
The planned closures reduce the company's regional footprint as executives evaluate store-level performance and asset productivity across the North American market. Starbucks operates thousands of locations globally, split between company-operated and licensed formats. The reduction targets roughly 1% of the domestic store base, focusing on underperforming locations as part of management's broader effort to realign retail operations and improve profitability per unit.
Forward Outlook
Operators, suppliers, and retail real estate landlords will monitor the execution of the 250-store reduction as Starbucks moves through its current turnaround phase. Additional details regarding lease expirations, employee reallocations, and the specific timing of the cafe closures were not detailed in the initial release. Source: CNBC Retail, Starbucks to shutter about 250 stores in latest round of cafe closures.
Priya Nair
Finance Reporter
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