Two Starbucks locations in Waterloo, Ont. have served their last cup of coffee as the company closes hundreds of stores across North America as part of a massive restructuring effort. Anyone who had been hoping to get their caffeine fix at the shops at 247 King Street North or 450 Columbia Street West were greeted by a sign taped to the doors instead of smiling baristas. “We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to close this Starbucks location,” a note that appeared at both locations read. “We know this may be hard to hear – because this isn’t just any store. It’s your coffeehouse, a place woven into your daily rhythm, where memories were made, and where meaningful connections with our partners grew over the years. We’re deeply grateful to the community that’s been built here.” For the people who worked at those stores, that sense of ‘community’ was fractured as their livelihoods were suddenly snatched away with little notice. An employee who had been working at one of the stores for only a few months said staff members began learning about the closures on Thursday of last week. Saturday marked the location’s last day. “So many people cried on Saturday,” Krishna Gaitonde, former Starbucks employee, said. “Man, it was really sad. I cried on Saturday. I didn’t even know these people. But just seeing everybody’s so upset and seeing everybody – some customers came in with flowers.” CTV News Kitchener reached out to Starbucks about the closures, but did not hear back by our deadline. Previously, they have said the stores were chosen due to underperformance – a claim some former employees and customers disagree with. “[We were] so busy,” Gaitonde said. “That’s the crazy thing. I don’t know if I don’t know what’s up because I’m very new to Starbucks, but I thought that it was pretty damn busy.” “It’s just so sad because we would go here all the time,” Lila MacMillian, a former customer, told CTV News. “The one on campus always had such a long line. It’s just such a sad thing to see.” Some employees had been hoping they might be reassigned to other stores, but in Gaitonde’s case, that option was not offered. “Essentially what they said is reapply and keep reapplying and cast a wide net.” But Gaitonde doesn’t believe they’ll be donning the apron again anytime soon. “I think it’s left a really bad taste in my mouth.”
