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In recent weeks, Starbucks revealed it would shutter approximately 400 stores nationwide. The closures have hit major metropolitan areas hardest, including cities like San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, and others. Local communities and regular customers expressed shock and disappointment, noting how these stores often serve as social hubs for neighborhood residents.
For example, in Berkeley’s Salano Avenue, regular patrons lamented the loss of their familiar meeting spots, emphasizing how these stores are integral parts of the community fabric. The closures in these areas are not random; they seem calculated, targeting locations where business does not meet corporate expectations or where operational challenges such as safety issues or economic performance exist.