What NH Starbucks Partners Need to Know About Imminent Layoffs and Closings

There have been a lot of local restaurant closures over the past couple of years.  It seemed to me that the cost of doing business just got too high for many small business owners here in New Hampshire, but now, some New Hampshire Starbucks could face layoffs and closures as soon as this weekend.

Before you go any further, you should know that Starbucks calls their "employees" Partners.

Starbucks has 35 locations, according to Vinepair.com, 31 in Maine and 279 in Massachusetts.

In a letter from Starbucks Chairman and CEO, Brian Niccol, to the Partners, here are a a few key takeaways:

Earlier this year, Starbucks took inventory of performing and non-performing coffee houses.  The CEO went on to say:

We identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed.

Coffeehouses slated to close will be notified this week.

Starbucks is getting rid of 900 current "non retail partner roles," that include Corporate staff and their suppliers and they will be notified this week as well. The people who had these positions were asked to work from home today and tomorrow.

If you read the entire letter from the CEO, there is language about giving "green apron partners" more hours at busy times, so maybe they are trying to eliminate some bigger expensive salaries for the time being?  Or, is that another way of saying that the people who are left will get more hours to make up for the people who will be sadly, laid off?

All the best and stay tuned.  I will update this story as it unfolds.