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Employee says local Starbucks to be one of 600 stores to close
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The Rockport Starbucks store was reportedly supposed to receive two visitors Tuesday carrying bad news - an announcement date for the local store's closure.
Gina Rodriguez, one of two remaining original employees from the store's opening day in May 2006, said Monday the company's district and regional managers were expected to pay a visit Tuesday morning at about 8:30 a.m.
Word of the rumored closing spread quickly Monday, motivating one local resident to take action.
Dee Parker began passing out flyers announcing the visit of the managers and encouraging residents to show up in force.
The flyer reads, in part, “Please come and help us protest the closing of our Starbucks. Please come and help us tell these people what a loss we feel this would be to the Rockport-Fulton area.”
Apparently word of the large crowds expected Tuesday reached corporate offices and the meeting was moved to another location, away from the local shop.
Higher-priced coffee shops such as Starbucks have felt the economic pressure due to the current economy, as well as from competitors who have entered the gourmet coffee market. In most cases, the competitor's coffee is sold at a much lower price.
Rodriguez said the Rockport location was not on the list of the first 50 of a reported 600 company-owned Starbucks which will be closed. She said that list included locations in Laredo, Harlingen, Houston, and Austin.
“Now they're going to close two in Corpus Christi, one in Kingsville, and ours,” she said.
Starbucks announced on July 1 underperforming stores planned for closure are located across the United States. The majority of those targeted for closure are relatively new, having been open since 2006.
Gina Rodriguez, one of two remaining original employees from the store's opening day in May 2006, said Monday the company's district and regional managers were expected to pay a visit Tuesday morning at about 8:30 a.m.
Word of the rumored closing spread quickly Monday, motivating one local resident to take action.
Dee Parker began passing out flyers announcing the visit of the managers and encouraging residents to show up in force.
The flyer reads, in part, “Please come and help us protest the closing of our Starbucks. Please come and help us tell these people what a loss we feel this would be to the Rockport-Fulton area.”
Apparently word of the large crowds expected Tuesday reached corporate offices and the meeting was moved to another location, away from the local shop.
Higher-priced coffee shops such as Starbucks have felt the economic pressure due to the current economy, as well as from competitors who have entered the gourmet coffee market. In most cases, the competitor's coffee is sold at a much lower price.
Rodriguez said the Rockport location was not on the list of the first 50 of a reported 600 company-owned Starbucks which will be closed. She said that list included locations in Laredo, Harlingen, Houston, and Austin.
“Now they're going to close two in Corpus Christi, one in Kingsville, and ours,” she said.
Starbucks announced on July 1 underperforming stores planned for closure are located across the United States. The majority of those targeted for closure are relatively new, having been open since 2006.
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cheri palmer wrote on Mar 15, 2009 10:38 PM: