Food - Drink
Why A California Starbucks Closed After Being Deemed 'Problematic'
By AUTUMN SWIERS
The Land Park Starbucks store has closed its doors due to “neighborhood safety concerns,” as the location is near areas that some feel are dangerous, including a shopping plaza known for frequent visits from law enforcement. In July 2022, the company announced plans to close 16 stores across the U.S., also citing safety concerns.
In a leaked video, Twitter CEO Howard Schultz reflected on the impact of neighborhood conditions on employee safety. “We have stores in every community, and we are facing things in which the stores were not built for,” said Shultz, before adding, “This is just the beginning. There are going to be many more.”
In an open letter, senior vice presidents of Starbucks U.S. operations Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelsen empathized with the workers and rolled out a list of new plans for keeping workers safe. These new measures include de-escalation, active shooter, and mental health first aid training.