Starbucks Closing Stores (Only 1.5M left!)
Well, maybe one on every street corner is a wee bit excessive…
Starbucks Corp. said it will close down 100 stores and slow down its opening of new U.S. stores from 1,600 to 1,175 this year.“By reducing the number of openings, we expect to optimize our resources and potentially reduce cannibalization of our existing stores,” said CEO and Chairman Howard Schultz in a statement.
So, is Starbucks going the Krispy Kreme route? Way too many outlets turning a cult brand into a commodity, ho-hum brand? What do you think? (Me, I’ve not been in a Starbucks for months…better coffee and vibes elsewhere.)
Read More: Starbucks Closing Stores (And, yep, more of their “managing to Wall Street” mentality.)
Related Post: But I Still Love Their Donuts. (Unfortunately, the Albuquerque Krispy Kreme franchise went - um - belly up. Sorry, it’s Friday.)
P.S. No I don’t know if they really have 1.5M locations - but it sure seems that way…as I drive or walk by them on the way to another coffee place.)
Tags: marketing, marketing troubleshooting, brands, branding, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme
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February 15th, 2008 at 9:48 am
I do not like coffee but I love their double chocolate chip fraps. I just don’t understand the point of saturating an area with stores. In my area you have a Starbucks in a Safeway grocery store and not a 1/4 mile away there’s an independent one. Then 10 miles up the road there is a Starbucks in a Giant grocery store and just acrossed the parking lot is a independent one. Duh, there should be some kind of rule on the part of Starbucks Corporate that you can not have a Starbucks within a certain radius of another. Renegades has this kind of rule, I believe it’s a 15 or 25 mile radius. This give’s each store a fighting chance to get regular customers and loyalty. Another mistake I think Starbucks made was removing the buy 6 or 7, get 1 free. That was incentive to come back for more. I mean what were they losing when you know their mixes don’t cost half of what they charge.
Thank you for letting me vent. : )
February 26th, 2008 at 11:05 am
[…] P.S. The absolute best cup of coffee anywhere? The one I make at home. When I go out to meet a friend or client, I chose based on ambiance more than the coffee. (Many of the Starbucks here in town are crowded and noisy.) Related Post: Starbucks Closing Stores (Only 1.5M Left!) […]
March 4th, 2008 at 9:10 am
[…] Related Posts: CEOs Are Walking The Wrong Street Good Idea: Starbucks Closing Stores Starbucks Closing Stores - Only 1.5M Left! […]