(NEXSTAR) - Starbucks will be closing 16 locations in multiple cities over safety concerns, a spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.
Those stores are located in Seattle, the Los Angeles area, Portland, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia. All 16 will be closed by the end of the month, according to Starbucks.
The decision to close these locations were due to store leaders reporting "challenges in providing a safe and welcoming and kind environment," a spokesperson told Nexstar.
"You’re also seeing firsthand the challenges facing our communities – personal safety, racism, lack of access to healthcare, a growing mental health crisis, rising drug use, and more. With stores in thousands of communities across the country, we know these challenges can, at times, play out within our stores too. We read every incident report you file – it’s a lot," vice presidents of US operations Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson wrote in a letter to employees Monday regarding safety at Starbucks stores.
In addition to laying out the company's plans to "ensure [employees] feel more supported and empowered," Stroud and Nelson say closing a store may happen when "safety ... is no longer possible."
These Starbucks locations are set to close in the coming weeks, a spokesperson confirmed to Nexstar:
Any employees impacted by these closures will be able to transfer to other locations.
In Monday's letter, Stroud and Nelson outline other intended safety policies, like training employees "how to de-escalate situations, active shooter training, [and] mental health first aid trainings"; adjusting stores and designing them for safety; and providing clear policies and procedures.
