SEATTLE -- Starbucks Corp. said Tuesday it will close 600 company-operated stores in the next year, up dramatically from its previous plan for 100 closures, a sign the coffee shop operator is still feeling the pain from the faltering U.S. economy.Starbucks said in a statement that 70 percent of the stores to be closed were opened after the start of 2006. The locations set to close include ones that 'were not profitable and not projected to provide acceptable returns in the foreseeable future,' it said. Starbucks also cut the number of company-operated stores it will open in fiscal 2009 in half, to fewer than 200. The company did not adjust its plan to open fewer than 400 stores in 2010 and 2011.
| They made the same mistake TCBY made: in the end, whether it's frozen yogurt or coffee, you don't need to go to a 'special' store to make and enjoy the stuff. |