In Atlanta, it seems like there’s a Starbucks on every corner, but on National Coffee Day, that expectation is shifting. The multinational coffeehouse chain recently announced that it would be shuttering the doors of hundreds of stores.
In a statement on Sept. 28, Brian Niccol, the Starbucks chairman and chief executive officer, said they’d been reviewing their North American coffeehouse portfolio to identify and close underperforming stores. The restructuring is part of a “Back to Starbucks” plan focused on returning to its roots through a simplified menu, an elevated store experience, and a redesign.
“During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed,” Niccol said.
Coffeehouses scheduled to close were notified last week. In Atlanta, those closures include the location on the lower level of the Equitable Building at 100 Peachtree Street, 21 14th Street, and 1870 Piedmont Avenue. The closure of over 400 stores will impact “non-retail partner roles,” resulting in 900 corporate layoffs. In the statement, Niccol shared that they are “working hard to offer transfers to nearby locations where possible” and will offer severance packages for partners they can’t immediately place.
The decision comes after Starbucks reported a decline in sales for six consecutive quarters as of July 2025.