Starbucks will close its location at Williamsburg’s North 7th Street, the coffee behemoth confirmed to Greenpointers.
“Effective June 30, our store at 154 N 7th St in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY will close permanently. We have engaged Workers United to collaborate on next steps, including transfers options, for the 14 partners currently employed at this location.
As a standard course of business, we continually evaluate our store portfolio, using various criteria to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers. We do not take the decision to close stores lightly. Our relationship with our customers is deeply personal, and we are honored to have been their Third Place.”
A Starbucks spokesperson.
Of course, Starbucks is not the friendly mom-and-pop kind of business whose closure merits shedding a tear. Locals have plenty (too many, some might even say) coffee shops in the North Brooklyn area. But the brand’s decision to close its Williamsburg location might be the latest in a pattern of retaliation, closing stores that have taken up the unionization fight. Last year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleged in a complaint that Starbucks illegally shuttered 23 locations.
It’s also worth noting that just a few days ago, contract negotiations between the union and the company restarted after an extended stalemate. Additionally, the Supreme Court just heard oral arguments in a case between Starbucks and its unionized store in Memphis, the result of which could limit NLRB power.
The Williamsburg location unionized in 2022, following other successful efforts around the country. The Starbucks Workers United union says more than 420 stores are now unionized, representing over 10,000 workers.
Poor yuppies gonna cry
Starbucks hasn’t been “yuppie” for like 20 years. It’s like the McDonald’s of coffee shops.
ahaha this take is so out of touch with reality….did you fall into a wormhole in 1998?
As per response with the above Starbucks needs to stop putting stores in alot of location that doesn’t have large economic of scale overall. Moreover stop unionized those store that they know can produce a high % to failing, which increase negative turnover or retention rate.
I am happy that they will be gone. The manager is a terrible person.
don’t think anyone should be shedding tears over a Starbucks leaving the neighborhood, union or not. shit coffee, bad vibes.
You can’t fight a mega corporation
They have an express stand 3 blocks away in the wholefoods. Additionally they close so early for a late night area.
The manager is a wonderful person. The staff is super friendly and amazing. Just because you don’t like Starbucks coffee or think it’s overpriced does not necessarily mean you have the right to complain about the employees. We will miss you dearly.
The staff is always cold and rude – they have an early closing time and still close down before that.
Very rarely have I had a good experience at that Starbucks – just rude vibes all the time.
Now go find a real job