Part 3/10:
The Official Reason: Economic and Safety Concerns
Starbucks' official explanation centers around economic realities—that certain stores are not profitable enough to justify keeping open. CEO Brian Nickel stated that these stores failed to meet the company's standards for creating the "physical environment our customers and partners expect." Essentially, the company claims that factors like safety concerns—ranging from homelessness, drug use, and safety hazards to vandalism—make certain locations unviable.