Since Starbucks’ March announcement of plans for a corporate office in Nashville, Tennessee, the company has tirelessly declared that Seattle remains its global headquarters.
But top Washington officials were clearly worried about the optics of Starbucks’ Nashville move, particularly given the layoffs and other cuts that have already diminished its presence in the state.
“The Nashville acquisition and continued Washington layoffs and closures continue to raise public questions about whether (Starbucks) is gradually shifting its center of gravity,” noted an April 10 briefing on Starbucks by Gov. Bob Ferguson’s staff…