Days after Starbucks announced that it would be closing 16 U.S. locations due to safety concerns, even more grim news lies ahead for the coffee chain. A video shared by radio host Ari Hoffman on Twitter last week shows Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz speaking on the future of the company at an internal meeting.
Schultz echoed the sentiments of a letter two Starbucks senior vice presidents shared with partners on July 11. And that sentiment is that a number of Starbucks locations have simply become unsafe.
"I don't have to spend too much time on what's going on in the country and how America has become unsafe... But you all read the press release over the last couple of days about the fact that we are beginning to close stores that are not unprofitable," said Schultz. "But we're closing stores as a result of the co-creations sessions that we've had. Almost 60 now."
Schultz went on to explain that he was "shocked" to learn that retail partners were most concerned with their safety. At one point he stated that, "We are facing things in which the stores were not built for," before adding that "many more" Starbucks will be closing in the future.
"In all of those sessions, it has shocked me that one of the primary concerns that our retail partners have is their own personal safety," Schultz said. "And then we heard the stories that go along with it about what happens in our bathrooms. The issue of mental illness, the issues of homelessness, and the issues of crime."
CNN reports that last month at a conference, Schultz spoke on the issues concerning Starbuck bathrooms, saying that it may be time for the company to put an end to its open-door bathroom policy.
"We have to harden our stores and provide safety for our people," said Schultz. "I don't know if we can keep our bathrooms open."
