Coffee lovers, you might want to set that latte down for a moment; this news may cause a minor caffeine tremor. Starbucks appears to be gearing up for yet another round of downsizing as the New Year approaches, and it’s not exactly music to the ears of anyone who relies on green aprons to start their day.
Dakota News Now reports that the coffee giant is planning to close approximately 400 more locations nationwide. This comes on the heels of a similar move back in late September, when five Sioux Empire Starbucks locations quietly flipped their signs to closed.
Those closures included stores at 1403 N. Marion Road, 2230 S. Marion Road, 1501 W. 41st Street, and 108 Venture Place in Tea. Also on the list was a newly built Harrisburg location that, in a particularly cruel twist of fate, never even got the chance to serve its first Frappuccino.
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At the time, Starbucks cited nationwide restructuring as the reason for the closures. Interestingly, many of the Sioux Falls area stores that shut down were relatively new, suggesting that even shiny new espresso machines aren’t immune to corporate spreadsheets.
Now, the big question brewing locally is whether more Sioux Falls Starbucks locations could be next on the chopping block.
According to Dakota News Now, Starbucks says the majority of upcoming closures will target stores in larger metropolitan areas. So for now, it looks like Sioux Falls may avoid taking a direct hit; fingers crossed, we dodge another Blonde Espresso bullet…