Starbucks customers in several Washington communities will soon have fewer places to grab their favorite coffee. The Seattle-based coffee chain is preparing to close five locations across the state, with dozens of employees affected by the upcoming changes.
Five Washington coffee shops affected
Starbucks announced plans to close five Washington stores as part of a broader restructuring of its North American business. The closures will affect 51 employees, according to reports published in October 2026.
The five affected coffeehouses are located in:
- Seattle: 9150 Rainier Ave. S. (Rainier Beach)
- Seattle: 999 Leary Way NW (Ballard)
- Redmond: 7625 170th Ave. NE
- Spokane: 2401 W. Wellesley Ave.
- Vancouver: 918 SE 164th Ave.
The Redmond location has 15 employees affected, while the Spokane store has 13. Seattle’s two locations account for another 11 positions, and the Vancouver location accounts for four. The remaining eight affected employees work at Starbucks’ Seattle headquarters.
For customers, the closures mean losing familiar neighborhood coffee stops, while employees face uncertainty about their next steps. The changes also come as Starbucks continues to evaluate its store portfolio and focus on locations it believes can support its long-term business strategy.
Why is Starbucks closing stores?
The closures are part of Starbucks’ previously announced plan to shutter 250 North American coffeehouses. The company said the targeted locations were either underperforming financially or unable to deliver the customer and employee experience it wants to provide…