Starbucks ending pick-up store format, up to 5 closures expected in Seattle

Starbucks plans to eliminate its mobile-order-only pick-up store concept by 2026, a move that could impact up to five locations in the Seattle area, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Between 80 and 90 stores will be affected nationwide. The company emphasized that while the pick-up stores are closing, mobile ordering remains a core part of its business, still making up 31% of transactions.

Even though many of the stores will close, Starbucks said some pick-up stores may be repurposed into the standard full-service cafés with seating. The company has not announced which stores will be converted or shut down.

Starbucks first introduced the pick-up store format in 2019, with its debut location opening near Penn Station in New York City. The business model gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic as customers turned to mobile ordering and contactless service. 

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