Starbucks Reserve Roastery defaced following abrupt closure
Sep 28, 2025, 5:05 PM | Updated: Sep 29, 2025, 2:04 pm
Exterior of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle's Capital Hill neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood was defaced after it shuttered its doors following a nationwide series of store closures and layoffs.
According to a photo posted on the Seattle Reddit page, the word “cowardly” was plastered in capital letters across the black panels that cover the windows of the now-closed establishment.
Starbucks previously announced it is laying off approximately 900 non-retail employees and closing several U.S. and Canadian stores in an attempt to focus more of its resources on a turnaround. Starbucks is closing stores “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,” the company stated.
Last week, Starbucks confirmed to KIRO Newsradio that the Capitol Hill Reserve Roastery is one of the locations that will be shuttered. A sign was posted on the front door of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Pike Street, captured by KIRO 7.
The Starbucks Reserve Roastery first opened in December 2014, featuring exclusive coffees, signature cocktails, a more elaborate food menu, and a hands-on coffee experience. Chicago, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Milano are the only other cities in the world with a Starbucks Reserve Roastery.
“It is an immersive and dramatic expression of our passion for coffee, located just nine blocks from our original Starbucks Pike Place store,” Starbucks stated regarding the reserve roastery.
Starbucks’ statement on the announced store closures
Starbucks announced that it expects to end its fiscal year with 18,300 stores in North America, down 124 from last year. According to The Associated Press, it’s rare for Starbucks to shrink its store count during a fiscal year.
“Each year, we open and close coffeehouses for a variety of reasons, from financial performance to lease expirations,” Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol stated. “This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers. Our coffeehouses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult.”
Niccol is a turnaround specialist who was brought into Starbucks a year ago this month to give the brand a jolt. Under Niccol’s leadership, the struggling Chipotle chain, where Niccol served as CEO for about six years, essentially doubled its revenue and profit, and its stock price soared.
Starbucks announced that it will offer severance and support packages to affected employees.
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