Starbucks to Close All La Boulange Stores

1 minute read
By Justin Worland

Starbucks plans to close all 23 La Boulange stores as well as two manufacturing facilities just three years after buying the bakery chain, the company announced Tuesday.

“Based on our ongoing evaluations, Starbucks has determined La Boulange stores are not sustainable for the company’s long-term growth,” the company said in a press release.

The coffee retailer said that food sales will remain a key element of the company’s offerings, and Starbucks stores will continue to sell food products marketed with La Boulange branding.

Starbucks plans to close the stores by September. Employees will be treated with the “utmost care,” with some receiving offers to move to other Starbucks locations, the press release said.

Go Inside Starbucks' Wild New 'Willy Wonka Factory of Coffee'

On Dec. 5, founder Howard Schultz debuted part of his new strategy for Starbucks: his first flagship “Roastery,” a 15,000 square foot space that is both a coffee roasting facility, and a consumer retail outlet. The place is to coffee what FAO Schwartz is to toys or Dover Street Market is to fashion—retail theatre.Ian Allen for TIME
Ian Allen for TIME
Ian Allen for TIME
Ian Allen for TIME
Ian Allen for TIME
Ian Allen for TIME
Ian Allen for TIME
Ian Allen for TIME

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Write to Justin Worland at justin.worland@time.com