Adios, Starbucks: The 88 closing California stores, mapped

Click here to check out our map. I'm curious about your thoughts on this. Do you see an interesting pattern or theme as to where the closings are? Before you go too far into the "foreclosure-store closure connection" (a path I headed down briefly, and turned back), consider that the store at Lincoln and Montana in Santa Monica is closing, and that's pretty much a foreclosure-free zone. If you'd prefer to browse a simple table of all the closings instead of the map, I've got this to offer as well.

Posted by Pete Viles
Your thoughts? Comments? E-mail story tips to peter.viles@latimes.com

Comments

[roman]

The santa monica closure is a aberration...since Santa Monica is so saturated with Starbucks (& competition) that you can't walk 2 blocks without tripping over one.

[campechano]

I won't be shedding a single tear. Their coffee AB-SO-LUT-LY SUCKS!!!!!!!!

As a lifetime coffee drinker I wonder how the american palate has been able to endure this cr#p for so long...

[Straight Caffeine]

There is another Starbucks one block west at 7th and Montana and one in a Pavilions one block east. The one they're closing at Lincoln and Montana used to be a Diedrich Coffeehouse and doesn't get much business, so that's a no-brainer.

[Greg Smith]

Well, that one's simple. It has nothing to do with real estate. It has to do with the fact that there are four other coffee shops within a block of it that actually serve good coffee. Starbucks locations are at their strongest when they're the only game in town. Even if there's a McDonald's nearby, they're in trouble.

[Vic Arpeggio]

All I know is that I am stunned that one of the two Starbucks on Sepulveda (near Westchester Parkway) isn't getting the axe. Yes, to quote Lewis Black and the movie BEST IN SHOW, there is a Starbuck's across the street from another Starbuck's here. The newest store caused a longtime coffee purveyor, a drive-through espresso shop, to be forced to NOT serve coffee. Screw Starbucks, their predatory ways and their burnt-tasting coffee.

[Jolnir the Viking]

Well, in the case of the Lake Arrowhead closure, it is certainly due to the fickleness of mountain tourism and the impact that higher fuel costs have had on the usual lot of inbred, mouth-breathing, mutant piglets that pass for "tourists" up here. No great loss. We still have the Starbucks in the local grocery store, which matters to me personally. It's where I stop for my triple short Americano on the way home from rowing on the lake in the wee early hours of the day. Tourists, begone! Hopefully, the glut of Europeans that the low dollar will be bringing up to Arrowhead won't be put out by the lack f an extra 'Bucks up here. Likely not.

[LisaC]

The Lincoln & Montana Starbucks that is closing used to be Diedrich. There is another Starbucks across the street, one several blocks up Montana, a Starbucks in the Vons at Lincoln, a Coffee Bean and a Peets up Monatana as well. Plus, the higher-end Cafe Luxxe is a couple of blocks away. Needless to say, it's probably not foreclosures but over saturation of the coffee stores that led to this closure.

[Giacomo]

They're mostly in low-income areas. probably under-performing locations with falling profits. No mystery there.

Don't bother pointing out the exceptions, I see them; likely they are in areas where Starbucks are already too thick on the ground, and competing with each other.

The one they REALLY ought to close is at Malibu/Trancas. It's perpetual pigsty, filled with unwashed vagrants -- a stain on the company reputation.

[Jose Habib]

That one at Lincoln and Montana used to be a Diedrich Coffee. When Starbucks bought Diedrich they turned that store into a Starbucks even though there is another Starbucks 1 block away at Montana and 7th. Not surprised they would close one of those two stores.

[Anon]

The Starbuck's at Lincoln & Montana was always a ridiculous idea anyway, considering it's a thirty second walk from the one at Montana & 7th.

[Jon]

The one on Lincoln and Montana is closing because it was always empty and there is one 7th and Montana always full a block away. It always seemed stupid to have 2 stores right there to begin with, but this one is a former Deidrich's that was taken over. There's also a Starbucks on 14th and Montana, near a Coffee Bean and a Peet's. Not to mention many local mom and pops. Even in a good economy how many coffee bars do you need on one suburban street--even if it is Montana.

[Crash and Burn]

This sucks, now I'll have to go more than a half block before I hit a Starbucks. The humanity, the humanity.

[E]

Starbucks is one of the largest "image sellers" out there.

By "image seller" I refer to the fact that people somehow thing that people will think they are cool if they are carrying a Starbucks latte (or a Jamba Juice), talking on an I-Phone.

Don't people brew their own coffee anymore?

WRT McDonalds trying to fill the niche. LOL.

McDonalds is gonna survive on it's 99c menu...not overpriced coffee.

[Beth]

now if only they would get rid of all of the Starbucks... and bring back Dietrichs...
wait, no more jaywalkers to go from one Starbucks to another.. wow

[Warren]

Noticed a closure in Riverside - one of the two Starbucks at the University Village complex. A few short years ago, the high demand/long lines justified opening multiple Starbucks within walking distance. With the advent of $4 gas, that demand has dropped, and resulted in an oversaturation of stores in many places.

[Hey...]

...did you guys know there's another Starbucks at 7th and Montana?

[justin]

So mighty Starbucks is showing signs of weakness. How ever could this have happened? The brand may or may not hold favor in the hearts of most, yet a true matter of concern may be the numerous now out of work employees who had held their confidence in the fact that they had a seemingly secure job with such a large company. The closure of 88 stores in just California also doesn't just affect this coffee companies employees, but those of the other business that supply what little that Starbucks doesn't already for itself, such as milk or office products. Then you can equate in the loss revenue that property owners, who in this scenario may also measure up to being without a job, or at least without an income.

These and others like them affected by such a sudden change will have to make due with minimal finances in an already delicate economical time. The dominoes line up fairly easy and fall over in a cascading line of "oops we need to save our salaries" when it comes to how most major corporations manage to recover from a failed venture. With all the strategy realized to make a craps roll decision of growth, its an obvious omen that there isn’t really a safety net in this companies previously expansive, world dominating business plan. Certainly that idea alone would cut into profits considering at the very least the letterhead and hotel accommodation for the safety net material and market research conference. These days it really is easier to cash in when the money runs out than it is too have patience while the expense of keeping the gears working adjusts to forecast... bait and switch anyone? “Well at least our competitors are out of business too.”

Rant status conceded but without casting the mild sarcasm aside, it is becoming the trend of business to balloon out with expansion till the POP! Then once the brass have a nest egg, or a dozen, all the high and dry staff of blue collar American have left to do is clean out an empty coup... d’etat? Anyway its signs like these that the bottom of the class barrel is getting bigger while the lid is rising and shrinking with contenders like a rich man's race to the moon.

Perhaps for Starbucks the memorable excitement over opening a new store everyday will be forgotten with the closing of a store everyday. Regardless America's boat is starting to sink and it is seriously far from just a coffee companies fault so perhaps the best cup of coffee to wake up and smell would be the one Starbucks is serving up now.

[Cal]

The one at Madera & Royal is the closest one I believe to set of big Countrywide buildings at the top of Madera.

[It All Happens on the Margin]

I'm not assigning equivalence, but I can't help but think of the "invincible" Krispy Kreme.

Remember that one? It was like a light switch was flipped, and it went from chic to ridiculous overnight.

Certainly, the Starbucks brand is stronger than Krispy Kreme, but the growth story (to justin's rant) has quite a few parallels - notably brand dilution in supermarkets and an 'at home' option that negates the 'freshness' aspect of the core product.

It's the light switch aspect that still amazes me, and the question is, "has it flipped?" Not yet - coworkers are still showing up with the signature cup in hand, though I have caught a few refilling with the office brew.

[Michael Snyder]

I did a brief stint in management for one of Starbuck's competitors. When asked what I thought of Starbuck's of a radio interview I replied, "I'd like to thank my competition for creating my marketplace." Although gourmet coffee was a niche market for years, it was Starbuck's who brought it into the mainstream.
There's a contingent on this blog who somehow think folks go to Starbucks to show off. You guys need to get a life. Starbuck's, Coffee Bean, Peet's etc provide a convenient place to conduct business that's local to everyone. A frap is a great pick me up after lunch & my dog gets the whipped cream out of the lid. (a real win, win)
Having said that Starbuck's pursued a saturation marketing strategy that was doomed to failure. Coffee doesn't require an operating system so I don't understand why they were marketing themselves like they were Microsoft. They got most of it right. After shedding this dead weight & unwinding all of those commercial leases the Starbuck's brand will likely be going string long after "E" is under doctor's orders to avoid caffeine & cholesterol.

[jag]

I think this the beginning end for Starbucks. I was a Starbucks client for almost 10 years. As their service and coffee went down the drain customers, like myself, fled. It's all about Coffee Bean now baby.

[Phyllis Harb]

I think Starbucks was/is oversatuated. there are two in my town of La Canada.

[Tim K.]

Wow, imagine that. So many posters here engaging in self-indulging behavior, attempting to proclaim themselves superior by showing off just how much better their tastes are than Starbucks!

Starbucks is this decade's McDonalds - the "I'm better than those unwashed masses" brand you so you can call yourself sophisticated. Just like those "I don't watch any TV" people.

Get with it - Starbucks is very successful, as is McDonalds, and it's not because most people don't have good taste or are stupid. They clearly define a well known product, and it's more consistent across their stores than ANY OTHER STORE. That's why they have won. In fact, they are so damn successful, they can afford to open up 88 superfluous stores and STILL MAKE MONEY so they can close them when demand drops, and STILL STAY IN BUSINESS. Incredible! If Starbucks kept these stores open, you'd call them idiots for not realizing consumer demand has dropped.

I think the most interesting thing is that the 88 closing stores are such a small fraction of the total number out there. I think the big story is not that Starbucks is "suffering" - it is that they are in fact, so damn successful they can afford to shutter 88 stores and most people probably won't even notice!

[Doug in Toronto]

What do you call 88 Starbucks closing? A good start.

I do feel badly for anyone who will lose their job as a result of this, but I've never been into designer coffee and wouldn't go into a Starsludge to pay off a bet.

[Joah]

FYI, when you make a comment on a blog posting over 4 - 5 sentences no one reads it but you. Yes, I'm talking to you Justin