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The proposed Starbucks Coffee walk-up/drive-in may look like this. (reddit.com)

 

 

 

by Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Contributor

 

 

You may have already heard that Starbucks is closing hundreds of walk-in stores and replacing them walk-up/drive-up locations. (If you are old enough, think Photomat style.) That news may have gone over your heads, especially if you don't pay Starbucks' high prices for exotic-flavored coffees.  What should have caught your attention is the closing of 16 stores Starbucks announced this week.

 

Starbucks announced this Tuesday in the Los Angeles Times "We are closing some stores in locations that have experienced high volume of challenging incidents that make it unsafe to continue to operate."  One of those locations is at 10th and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia.  What is surprising is that location is frequented by Jefferson and Wills Eye Hospitals' employees, around the clock.  However, "Police records show that there have been 17 disturbances inside the store and four incidences in process" per Channel 3 news.

 

The other locations losing stores are six in Los Angeles, CA; six in Seattle, WA; two in Portland, OR; and one in Washington, DC.  All of these stores will be closed by the end of July (Los Angeles Times.)  One of the main reasons for closing the stores is that in 2018 Starbucks changed its policy and opened its restrooms to anyone off the street.  This led to homeless people and drug users keeping the restrooms occupied and dangerous.  The coffee store corporation is thinking about changing this policy but in the meantime, they are closing stores.

 

Philadelphia officials are starting to worry.  Philly Pretzels has already left town and the officials fear that many more will follow suit.  I wonder if anyone has thought to attack crime in the City before more companies leave.