Last month, Starbucks announced they would be steadily closing stores nationwide. The given reason is the chain has had a profit downturn for about six quarters, and as a result, the company is trying to cut down on stores that aren’t making as much money as the other stores whilst laying off over 900 employees.

The Starbucks store closures are part of a bigger plan to restructure Starbucks as a whole, starting with some unpopular changes like the required doodles on every Starbucks drink, and bathrooms that are locked for non-paying customers. 

Most people in the US are familiar with Starbucks at this point. The large coffee cafe chain has been a major player in the food and beverage industry since the ’80s, and even spread internationally in the ’90s. Originating here in evergreen Washington state in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, Starbucks is a popular food chain that many visit while rushing to work.

With that in mind, it’s initially surprising that Starbucks is shuttering so many stores. However, knowing about the chain’s recent financial decline due to demographic changes explains the recent layoffs.

Layoffs and store closures are common money saving business tactics, so it goes without saying that Starbucks would do the same. Of course these store closures and layoffs are never good no matter the situation, so it’s hard to be positive about these recent changes.

Regardless of your opinion on Starbucks, the cafe has a major influence on the greater Washington area. Every time it changes, it ripples and affects the community around it. If prices go up too drastically, people will find alternatives which can be inconvenient for the average 9-5 worker trying to keep a simple and quick commute. If every barista has to draw doodles, then it slows down service time and creates a bottleneck.

While at first glance, the Starbucks closures seem like a sign of the company’s downfall, they’re not. However, it’s not all good news, as obviously many people are losing their jobs quite suddenly, and the holidays are only getting closer.

While Starbucks itself isn’t a community monolith that gives back to the community, it is an integral part of many people’s commutes. These closures may be good for business, but whether they’re good for the community or not is still up for debate.