Starbucks becomes the latest business to end operations in Tacoma’s Stadium District

A Tacoma Starbucks site is shutting down, and the company is citing reasons similar to its other recent closures elsewhere.

The Starbucks location at 640 N. 1st St., Tacoma, will see its last day of operation Oct. 20, according to the company. The site opened in 2017 and was touted at the time for featuring local artwork.

The closure was first reported by a store patron on the Tacoma Reddit board online.

Sam Jefferies, media representative for the coffee giant, told The News Tribune this week in a phone interview that “there are a number of factors that we consider when examining whether to open or close a store. … But I would add that that, within that, safety and security of both partners and customers was a factor in deciding to close the store.”

In an emailed follow-up, he wrote that “Our first priority is to make sure our partners are safe at work. We will continue to work to make sure that partners can focus on crafting exquisite beverages and creating connections in a safe, warm, and welcoming environment.”

Starbucks has cited store safety issues in recent store shutdowns nationwide, including Portland’s Pearl District, in its closure announced Oct. 18, as well as downtown Indianapolis.

The chain this summer announced the closure of 16 sites in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. More closures have occurred since that announcement, as warned by CEO Howard Schultz in a leaked video in July.

In the Tacoma closure, Jefferies stated: “We routinely review the partner and customer experience in our stores, to see if the store is thriving, partners (employees) are feeling supported, and that we are meeting customer needs.”

He added that “Our local leaders are, and have always been, empowered to use the many resources at their disposal to modify store operations and create the best experience for our communities. But when necessary, we will make the decision to close a store.”

The Tacoma closure didn’t appear to have any ties to potential union organizing.

Jefferies told The News Tribune that the store “was not petitioned for a union election or certified following a union vote.”

He added that Starbucks workers would have the option to transfer to other nearby stores.

The Starbucks closure is the latest in a series of changes/closures this year in the Stadium District.

Rhein Haus and Wally’s Wisconsin Tavern, 649 Division Ave., were replaced by new entities, while other sites have shuttered altogether, including Anthem Coffee & Tea, 102 N. G St., and Tease Chocolates, 610 N. 1st St., Tacoma.

Tease Chocolates owner Topher Farrell told The News Tribune via email in September that several factors weighed heavily on the site: “… between the pandemic, economy, increasing costs of raw materials and every other expense — coupled with the fact that there has been a light rail construction project outside of our front door for roughly five years. …” He also referenced citywide challenges with crime and homelessness.

In 2021, Starbucks closed its longtime storefront in Tacoma’s Old Town as part of an earlier pandemic-related wave of shutdowns of underperforming stores, and the chain turned its focus on developing pick-up sites and drive-thrus.

The Stadium District site does not have a drive-thru, and commenters on the original Reddit thread also noted limited parking in the area as another hurdle the store faced.