Yesterday, Starbucks announced that it will be closing 600 "underperforming" domestic stores (Herald story). The shutdowns will start immediately and continue until early next year. Previously, the company had said that they would only be closing around 100 stores.
I'm wondering what this means for the local Starbucks locations. Will a Grand Forks store or stores close as a result of this announcement? Are any of these stores considered to be "underperformers?"
I do need to make a correction to the Herald story. The article says that Starbucks operates Grand Forks locations on South Washington Street, 32nd Avenue South, in SuperTarget, and in the UND Barnes and Noble bookstore. This isn't exactly accurate.
The SuperTarget location is considered to be a Starbucks, but it is staffed by Target employees. It looks very much like a "real" Starbucks, but it technically is not a regular Starbucks location and I'm not sure that any of the Target Starbucks locations throughout the country will be closing as a result of this announcement.
Also, the Barnes and Noble cafe is not a Starbucks at all. It isn't even called Starbucks...it's the Barnes and Noble Tower Cafe. They merely serve Starbucks coffee. This announcement really has no impact on the Tower Cafe's future.
Are there any local Starbucks employees out there that know anything about the status of the local Starbucks locations?
The SuperTarget store is a licsense store, as well as all other Target stores. The article said only corporate stores would be affected.
ReplyDeleteWell maybe none of the Starbucks locations are real ! But they all do offer Starbucks Coffee. They are over-rated ! Which would you rather pay $4.00 for: cup of coffee of a gallon of gas ? I thought so. So lets close up more Starbucks and open more gas stations. greenglass4.
ReplyDeleteGreenglass, I marvel at your economic genius. Surely those in high places must seek your wisdom for it is unsurpassed. Lines like "So lets close up more Starbucks and open more gas stations"...pure brilliance. We need to start a petition to have the Herald replace Ralph Kingsbury with our very own Greenglass. Your analysis would be rife with wisdom...and dotted with unusually placed punctuation !
ReplyDeletelol
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how all of the anti-Starbucks people complain about getting a $4 cup of coffee. I've had plenty of Starbucks coffee in my time, and I can't remember ever paying even half that for a cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteWhat sort of girlie drink is greenglass ordering ?
My guess is the Starbucks on 32nd will stay and the one on Washington will close. That just seems to be the trend in GF.
ReplyDeleteThe one on Washington is usually 3-4 cars deep when I pass it in the morning (since the drive-thru extends into an alley it is awfully inconvenient)
ReplyDeleteI really hope the one on Washington doesn't close.
Hope they don't close any. At all of them the staff is friendly and the selection of great coffee ranks from about $1.50 to however much you want to spend.
ReplyDeleteThis is capitalism, folks. The choice is yours. If you don't like them you don't have to go. As for me, I like the option over that watered down stuff called coffee at the restaurants.
I'm an ex-employee, but still have connections with the company. From the way it sounds, the Grand Forks ones will be fine, but two of the Fargo underperformers are closing.
ReplyDeleteA few more details on this news:
ReplyDelete* The closings will only target 600 of the 7,257 company-run stores in the U.S. (so BN and Target locations should not be affected)
* Most of the closing locations were opened since 2006, are not profitable and are near other Starbucks locations
If I had to guess, I'd say the two Grand Forks locations are safe. Considering that Seattle has 104 stores, New York City has 184, San Francisco 83, etc., these larger metro areas are prime targets for cuts.
Maybe this will rid us of the "Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks" phenomenon.
The Washington one is doing fine, but I have heard that the 32nd ave location will be getting the ol axe here in the next month or so.
ReplyDeleteOn a note about other business closings, all of you crying for a Steve and Barry's in the mall are out of luck. Sounds like it is going under.
ReplyDeleteIf there are only two company-owned stores in town, you'd think they'd keep both open. I hate not being able to use Starbucks prepaid or gift cards at the Target and Barnes & Noble locations.
ReplyDeleteGrandforksguy: thanks for the support ! "Economic genius", "pure brilliance", "wisdom and punctuation", "people in high places seek wisdom" etc. Like Hilary stated here: simple solutions to complex problems ! Or as Rydell philosophy states "buy low and sell high" your little profit dealer. greenglass4
ReplyDelete"your little off it dealer" makes more sense in your case.
ReplyDeleteI'd much rather pay $4 for my occasional girly coffee drinks than for 13 gallons of gas every two weeks.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the Rydell philosophy, did anyone see the Rydell Chevrolet sign last Sunday night on Gene Simmon's Family Jewels? They flashed it on screen about four or five times, so I'm betting that Gene got one HECK of a deal on that Impala he bought for his son.
ReplyDeleteI knew they were a big outfit, but didn't know they had dealerships all over California!
all over cali, arizona, new mexico...the Rydell group is what has made Wes into (most likely) one of the few billionaires ND has ever had
ReplyDeleteI really wouldnt mind of all those stores closed. I like to see a crazy coffee person in the morning.
ReplyDeleteYou can use Starbucks giftcards at the Target location!
ReplyDeleteCan anyone else here confirm the rumors of Grand Forks getting a Muck and Barry's store? They are all over the southwestern part of the United States and I would LOVE to see Grand Forks actually get one!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'll ask. What is Muck and Barry's?
ReplyDeleteI doubt that a Starbucks will close in Grand Forks, both locations are constantly full and or steady.
ReplyDeleteI have never paid 4.00 for a coffee from them. I get a venti dark roast and two shots of expresso price 3.21 also wakes you up.
OT here, but anyone know why the CMT channel, channel 66, is off the air?
ReplyDeleteDidn't G4 disappear as well? I know CMT did, I thought another did as well.
ReplyDeleteMidcontinent has recently started to remove less-viewed channels (C-Span2 is also gone) from its regular cable service. I have a theory that this will continue so that they can force people into their digital packages whose favorite channels have disappeared.
ReplyDeleteHa, you know, I moved recently and noticed the Christian channels were gone. I'd just assumed my new roommate had blocked them.
ReplyDeleteI guess they figure there are no country music fans ! I think they are wrong. Look at "We Fest" in DL.greenglass4
ReplyDeleteYeah, no CMT here, but we still have BET, which I'm sure everyone in GF watches.
ReplyDeleteare you saying just the Obama supporters are into BET ? Where white rednecks watch Country Music Television.
ReplyDeleteI'm saying more people in Grand Forks watch CMT than they watch BET.
ReplyDeleteIf they have reduced the number of channels, are they going to reduce our bill???
ReplyDeleteI liked G4! Ninja warrior is the best!
Theres nothin better than getting a steamy hot cup of coffee, a sweet and tasty bear claw, and sitting down to relax and read the latest issue of Home and Garden magazine.
ReplyDeleteSquiggy.
ReplyDeleteCMT is off the air? I can't believe it since Grand Forks, ND is big time Country, heck what are there like 3 country channels you can get on the dial?
ReplyDeletegreenglass and his "intelligent" assumptions once again.
ReplyDeleteI agree with one of the other posters. Midcontinent will continue to remove channels from their analog lineup and move them to the digital package. How many channels have they done this to over the last 15 months? 10-15 for sure
CMT is still available if you have one of their digital boxes, along with TRU TV and Im sure the Christian Channels as well. If you look at their website, they have completely redone their packages
ReplyDeleteSeveral people have commented already that CMT is still available on the digital package lineup.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that Midcontinent will continue to drop channels from their current lineup and move them to the digital lineup.
Anonymous, Anonymous, and Anonymous...wait a second you three. Did I just find out the reason they took channels 72, 73, and 74 off all my tvs with regular cable? Do you know, I get some of my best revelations from Benny Hill, or was it Hinn, can't remember.
ReplyDeleteIf I find out the billionaires living in North Dakota are behind any of this, or Barton Lidice Benes himself...or that guy from Dallas, I'm gonna buy that swamp land right up (I promise!)
Change of leadership at the base tomorrow. Is that worth a post on the blog?
ReplyDeleteNope ! Who cares about the base!
ReplyDeleteAnon@10:52: Without the base, GFKS would be a whole lot less interesting...and a whole lot poorer!
ReplyDeleteGet a life, pal.
(And no, I'm not air force; I just happen to love those folks that have added so much to our lives over the years.)
GF has a handful of primary employers, everthing else is service industry: banks, car dealerships, retsaurants, etc. Lose the base, and watch GF dry up.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, there are more than a "handful" of primary employers other than banks, car dealerships, and restaurants. Try three handfuls:
ReplyDeleteAltru
American Crystal Sugar
[American Woods] -- can't remember their more recent name
Aurora
Cirrus
Coca Cola
Ecolab
Kmart
ND Mill
PS Doors
Pepsi
SCI
Simplot
Target
UND
Wal-Mart
Our community has some terrific employers. With the unemployment rate being so low, absolutely NO ONE in our city should be without a job. Everyone has to start somewhere, but unfortunately people have too much pride to work at places such as McDonald's (who, by the way, has good starting wages and benefits to boot).
I think that some local teens put some adults to shame. They don't seem to mind working the jobs that some of us have never even considered simply because of the type of work entailed. We adults need to swallow our pride.
Anonymous @ 10:52 said...
ReplyDelete" Nope ! Who cares about the base! "
Didn't you forget something in your post? Something like: ""Obama in '08 ! ! !""