Buffalo Grove Starbucks closing Saturday as chain announces wave of closures

A Starbucks in Buffalo Grove at 1665 N. Buffalo Grove Road will shut its doors for good Saturday as the coffee chain works to rebound its business.

The store currently has a sign out front announcing its closure, and workers are directing customers to another location about a mile away. It was a longstanding Starbucks, opening back in 2001, according to Buffalo Grove’s community development director Nicole Woods.

Thursday, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced that his company would close a significant number of stores and that partners operating those locations would be notified this week.

In his statement, he said Starbucks would finish this fiscal year with almost 18,300 locations in North America. That marks a more than 400 store difference from the end of June, according to a CNN report.

“This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers,” Niccol said in his statement. “Our coffeehouses are centers of the community, and closing any location is difficult.”

Niccol became the CEO about a year ago, and the company’s stock is down about 12%, according to the CNN report. These closures are part of an effort to turn things around, but he says he understands the impact it may have on partners.

“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, Niccol said.

At least 15 Starbucks in Chicago are also closing up, according to Crain’s Chicago.