Popular Starbucks location closes
The Starbucks coffeehouse at 10000 Aviary Drive in the “old” Vons shopping center was closed by the parent company with notification to employees and customers of only a few days in late September.
A crowd bringing encouragement for employees filled the longtime Starbucks on the morning of Sept. 27. Customers delivered good wishes to the Starbucks crew on what was the last day of operation for this location in Scripps Ranch. Starbucks closed 1 percent of its locations nationwide that week.
A simple note taped to the door from the Starbucks Coffee Company stated: “We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to close this Starbucks location by the end of this week. We know this may be hard to hear — because this isn’t just any store. It’s your coffeehouse, a place woven into your daily rhythm, where memories were made, and where meaningful connections with our partners grew over the years …”
Here is part of Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s statement from Sept. 25: “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. … To put it into context: Since we’ve already opened numerous coffeehouses over the past year, our overall company-operated count in North America will decline by about 1% in fiscal year 2025 after accounting for both openings and closures. We will end the fiscal year with nearly 18,300 total Starbucks locations – company operated and licensed – across the U.S. and Canada. In fiscal year 2026, we’ll grow the number of coffeehouses we operate as we continue to invest in our business. Over the next 12 months, we also plan to uplift more than 1,000 locations to introduce greater texture, warmth, and layered design. … We’re working hard to offer transfers to nearby locations where possible and will move quickly to help partners understand what opportunities might be available to them.”
The Starbucks Coffee Company refers to its employees as “partners.”
The company has faced controversies in recent years over employees attempting to unionize in some cities, as well as employees voicing dissatisfaction with new uniform requirements. Niccol became Starbucks chairman and CEO in 2024. He began to implement a “Back to Starbucks” plan to double the number of stores in the U.S., but the operating margin reportedly fell as costs for the turnaround and expansion rose.
Other newer Scripps Ranch Starbucks locations remain open at 9810 Carroll Canyon Road and 10565 Scripps Poway Parkway. Both have fast food style drive-through lanes for customers to place and pick up their orders from their vehicles.