Starbucks permanently closes Seattle Reserve Roastery

Starbucks is permanently closing its Seattle Reserve Roastery — the first roastery the company created — located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The Starbucks Reserve store in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood is also permanently shutting down.

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.

While the store locations are set to be announced on Friday, 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.

(Photo of Starbucks’ announcement obtained 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 upcoming 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.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

Contributing: KIRO 7

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