Starbucks Has Announced 250 Store Closures

The coffee chain confirmed it will shutter approximately 1% of its North American store count later this week.

Updated on Sept. 26, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Isometric editorial illustration of a modern commercial storefront with clean lines and flat colors, representing retail corporate infrastructure. — Starbucks announced the closure of 250 underperforming North American locations, representing approximately 1% of its total regional store count. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Starbucks has announced plans to close 250 store locations across North America. The move represents about 1% of the company's total footprint in the region.

Why it matters

The company is closing these locations due to underperformance issues. Affected employees are being offered transfer opportunities or severance support.

Starbucks is shuttering 250 locations, representing approximately 1% of its 18,000 North American stores. This total includes 20 unionized shops.

The players

Starbucks

Starbucks is a global coffeehouse chain and roastery reserve that operates more than 18,000 locations in North America.

Brian Niccol

Brian Niccol is the CEO of Starbucks who introduced the company's current Back to Starbucks strategy in 2024.

The details

Starbucks, which manages store closures on an annual basis, confirmed that the process will impact locations identified as underperforming. The company has not provided a specific list of the impacted stores.

CEO Brian Niccol introduced the Back to Starbucks strategy in 2024.
USA TODAY contacted the company regarding the closures on September 24, 2026.
The closures were announced the week of September 26, 2026.
The store locations are expected to close later this week.

Market Landscape

The mass closure of underperforming sites follows the strategic pivot outlined in the Starbucks Back to Starbucks corporate strategy. This operational adjustment positions the firm to optimize its footprint against a competitive landscape of premium coffee retailers.

Regular customers should monitor their local store for potential service changes or permanent closures later this week. Because the company has not released a specific list of impacted stores, patrons may face temporary local service disruptions.

The takeaway

Retail chains often utilize annual performance reviews to prune underperforming locations from their national portfolio. Consumers affected by closures should check the company website or mobile app for the status of their nearest available location.