The USA Leaders
September 25, 2026
Seattle, Washington — Starbucks store closures are expanding into a second major wave, with the company planning to close 250 locations across North America.
The closures were reported on September 24, 2026, and are part of Starbucks’ broader restructuring strategy focused on reshaping its store portfolio and improving store-level financial performance.
The latest move provides another look at how a major U.S. retail brand is adjusting its physical footprint while investing in its broader operating strategy.
Starbucks Planning to Close More Than 200 Stores in North America
The latest Starbucks store closures involve 250 locations across North America and represent approximately 1% of the company’s North American cafés.
Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams identified the locations targeted for closure in a letter to employees, according to reports. However, a complete public list of the affected coffeehouses has not been provided.
The company’s latest plan follows an earlier restructuring program and represents the second significant wave of store closures under its current restructuring effort.
Starbucks store closures at a glance :
| Key Detail | Information |
| Stores planned for closure | 250 |
| Region | North America |
| Announcement timing | September 24, 2026 |
| Closure wave | Second major wave |
| Share of North American cafés | Approximately 1% |
| Store list | Not publicly provided in available reporting |
Starbucks Store Closure Strategy and “Back to Starbucks”
The Starbucks store closure plan is connected to the company’s broader “Back to Starbucks” strategy.
The strategy focuses on improving the in-store experience, investing in labor and technology, and simplifying the menu. Starbucks has also been evaluating whether individual coffeehouses have a viable path toward delivering the desired customer environment and achieving financial performance.
This makes the latest store closures part of a wider operating reset rather than a standalone store-count decision.
Starbucks Store Closures Follow 2025 Restructuring
The latest closures follow a restructuring program announced in 2025 that included coffeehouse closures and changes to the company’s support organization.
Starbucks estimated that the earlier restructuring would generate about $1 billion in costs, with 90% attributed to its North America business.
The plan included employee separation benefits, store asset disposal and impairment costs, and lease-related expenses.
The 2025 program also included plans to eliminate approximately 900 non-retail positions. Starbucks said affected employees would receive severance and support.
It is important to keep those figures separate from the new 250-store plan because the available sources do not provide a new financial charge estimate specifically for the latest closures.
What We Know About the Starbucks Store Closure List
Interest in the Starbucks store closure list is likely to remain high as the company moves forward with the latest plan. However, the available reporting does not identify the affected cities, store numbers, closure dates, or total number of Starbucks layoffs.
The available sources also do not confirm whether all 250 locations are company-operated stores or whether workers will be transferred to nearby locations.
What Starbucks Store Closures Mean for the Business
The latest Starbucks store closures show the company continuing to review its North American store portfolio while pursuing its broader operating strategy.
The focus is on locations that Starbucks believes need a stronger path toward the desired store experience and financial performance.
At the same time, the company is continuing its “Back to Starbucks” approach, which includes investments in labor and technology and efforts to simplify operations.
Conclusion
The latest Starbucks store closures will affect 250 North American locations and mark the second major closure wave in the company’s current restructuring effort.
While the Starbucks store closure list and several other details remain unavailable, the company has connected the broader effort with its “Back to Starbucks” strategy and plans to improve store-level performance.
Neelmani Yadav
