Dallas, Texas — Starbucks is closing six cafés across Dallas–Fort Worth this weekend, part of a $1 billion restructuring that is eliminating nearly 900 corporate roles and trimming the chain’s U.S. and Canada footprint for the first time in years. The shutdowns take effect after service Saturday, Sept. 27, and follow six consecutive quarters of weak sales.
The closures hit high-traffic corridors like Greenville Avenue and Mockingbird Station in Dallas, downtown Fort Worth, plus suburban spots in Richardson and Plano. A rural café in Italy, Texas, is also on the list. Workers are being offered transfers or severance packages with extended benefits. Starbucks insists union status played no role in the choices.
CEO Brian Niccol, in a memo last week, framed the move as a portfolio “reset” designed to weed out underperforming stores and focus investment on cafés that can deliver the brand’s promised “third place” vibe. The company plans to end fiscal 2025 with roughly 18,300 North American stores—about 1% fewer than last year, before resuming growth in 2026. More than 1,000 cafés will be redesigned over the next year to look warmer and less like pickup counters.
The timing underscores how the brand, long synonymous with reliable growth, is navigating a post-pandemic consumer slowdown. Starbucks has rarely finished a year with fewer outlets, and this cutback signals a shift from sheer expansion to tighter curation. Analysts say the company is betting that fewer, better stores can reignite traffic while avoiding the drag of unprofitable locations.
For North Texas, the closures are targeted, not a retreat. But they mark the new reality: Starbucks is recalibrating, putting efficiency and experience over ubiquity, and reminding investors and customers alike that the coffee giant is willing to pull back before it pushes forward again.
