It appears that even the largest retailers continue to struggle in the current economy. Starbucks, which seemingly sits on every corner, will close hundreds of stores. It will also lay off close to 1,000 employees as part of the brand’s “Back to Starbucks” initiative. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Niccol shared the news on September 24. The news comes after the brand recently chose to “sunset” the Starbucks Pick Up locations across North America. Many wonder what all this will mean to the future of Starbucks as competitors like Scooter’s Coffee, 7 Brew Coffee, and Dutch Bros continue to open new locations across the United States. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Starbucks (@starbucks) It Remains Unclear Which Starbucks Locations Will Close Starbucks did not release a full list of closing stores, but shared its intent to be prompt. “Partners in coffeehouses scheduled to close will be notified this week. We’re working hard to offer transfers to nearby locations where possible and will move quickly to help partners understand what opportunities might be available to them,” Brian Niccol wrote. “For those we can’t immediately place, we’re focused on partner care, including comprehensive severance packages. We also hope to welcome many of these partners back to Starbucks in the future as new coffeehouses open and the number of partners in each location grows,” he added. As the news began to spread on social media, many people blasted Starbucks for the move. Sad day. I’ve been going to the same @Starbucks for the past 6 years, despite all the price increases, because of how friendly the workers are They found out THIS MORNING that their store is being closed on Saturday & putting them all out of jobs. Disgusting move by @Starbucks,” a fan shared on X. Brian Niccol wished former employees well. “To those partners who will be leaving, I want to say a profound thank you. To those continuing on our turnaround journey, I deeply appreciate your commitment to helping us get back to Starbucks,” he wrote. This story’s featured image by Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images. The post Starbucks To Layoff Nearly 1,000 Employees And Close Stores As Part of “Back to Starbucks” Initiative appeared first on InspireMore.