Starbucks closed at least five Quebec locations last week in its latest wave of shutdowns.
It has been another difficult year for the coffee giant, which announced the closings of 250 North American coffee houses on Thursday, accounting for about one per cent of all locations across the continent. Around the same time last year, the company closed more than 200 North American locations — including eight in Quebec — while struggling to compete in a saturated coffee market.
“We have carefully reviewed our North America coffee-house portfolio and identified locations where we do not believe we can consistently deliver the experience we want for customers and partners or where we don’t see a path to acceptable financial performance,” Starbucks chief operating officer Mike Grams wrote in a statement.
The Gazette has verified that the following locations in Quebec closed over the weekend:
220 Peel St. in Montreal.
751 Mont-Royal Ave. E. in Montreal.
1457 Ste-Catherine St. W. in Montreal.
5200 Blvd. Cousineau in St-Hubert.
2000 de l’Éclipse St. in Brossard (Solar Uniquartier).
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Stores that have closed will have signage to notify customers, according to an email statement from a Starbucks spokesperson, who did not indicate the number of Quebec locations that closed over the weekend.
A note on a shuttered Starbucks outlet at 751 Mont-Royal Ave. E. in Montreal. Courtesy of Howard Schultz
“Starbucks continues to invest in Quebec, with new coffee-house openings and uplifts planned for the coming year,” the email statement said.
The spokesperson said Starbucks is focusing on supporting employees through the transition and transferring them to other Starbucks locations wherever possible. For employees who are not placed to work in another location, Starbucks says they will provide “severance and transition support.”
Know of any other Starbucks locations closing in Quebec? Email lschertzer@postmedia.com
Leora Schertzer is a reporter at the Montreal Gazette who thrives on the chase. Whether it’s producing a documentary about sewage or investigating a Nazi gold scandal, it’s the novelty and adrenaline that keep her in this challenging industry. Send her tips at lschertzer@postmedia.com.
lschertzer@postmedia.com