A well-known coffee business is closing a big store in Washington state this summer, which has made loyal customers start a petition.
Starbucks said earlier this month that it would be closing a big store in the western Seattle, Washington, area of Alki.
This morning, Starbucks told West Seattle Blog that the store at 2742 Alki Avenue would be closed on August 11.
The Sun says that all of the people who work at the store will likely be given the chance to move to other jobs nearby.
After this store, which has been closed since 1999, West Seattle Blog says that there will only be five shops left open in the area.
This location’s closing comes about 16 years after the last one in the area closed.
People in the area are furious that the shop is closing, and hundreds of them have joined forces to start a petition to keep it open.
The petition, called “Save Our Alki Beach Starbucks!,” lists four key reasons why people want the store to stay open:
- Helping the neighborhood
- Making the neighborhood economy stronger
- Location that is easy for workers
“The Alki Beach Starbucks is more than just a coffee shop; it’s where people from all over our community come together,” the petition says.
“It gives people a place to get together with their neighbors, friends, and families.”
“The Alki Starbucks greatly improves the local economy by drawing in tourists and giving money to nearby businesses,” it says.
“A lot of people will feel empty when it’s gone, especially remote workers who use it as a place to meet up and take a break from their home offices.”
The petition also says that Starbucks is making it harder to walk around Alki by closing the store and making things harder for store workers by doing so.
“We know Starbucks needs to make business decisions about its stores, but we think the Alki Beach location is very important to our community,” it says.
“We want Starbucks to think again about closing and look into other options, like remodeling or moving in the Alki Beach area.”