The first Starbucks to open in Victoria is set to close its doors, as the coffee giant shutters hundreds of locations around the world.
A note posted to the front door of the Starbucks location at the corner of Fort Street and Blanshard Street does not list an exact closing date, but confirms the store’s exit.
“We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to close this Starbucks location,” reads the message.
“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.”
“We’re deeply grateful for the community that’s been built here,” the note adds.
This specific location in downtown Victoria first opened in 1994.
In 2014, Starbucks Canada celebrated its 20th year of operation on Vancouver Island, describing the opening of the Fort Street location as one of its “most successful.”
“I remember it like it was yesterday. We opened the doors on Friday, March 11th, 1994 and over that weekend, we served thousands of customers,” said Kerry Busheikin, then-vice president of operations for Starbucks Canada and former store manager of the location.
“Starbucks Fort Street store opening was one of the most successful store openings for Starbucks at that time and it was all thanks to the incredible welcome the community gave us,” she said in a release at the time.
“The years I spent on the Island are some of of the best years of my career and my life with Starbucks,” said Busheikin.
In a release Thursday, Starbucks said it was laying off about 900 non-retail employees.
It also said it was closing hundreds of stores across the U.S., Canada and Europe, though the company was tightlipped about exact figures.
The company did say that it expects to end its fiscal year this weekend with 434 fewer stores in North America than it had at the end of June.
“During the review, 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,” said Brian Niccol, Starbucks chairman and CEO, in a statement Thursday.
“Each year, we open and close coffeehouses for a variety of reasons, from financial performance to lease expirations. This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers,” he said.
The note posted on the front door of the Starbucks location at Fort Street and Blanshard Street in Victoria is shown on Sept. 26, 2025. (CHEK News)
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