Another Starbucks Is Now Closing Its Doors In Minnesota

For a lot of us, our morning coffee is as much a part of the routine as brushing our teeth, and for millions of Americans, that means a stop at the business with the green-and-white sign found seemingly everywhere.

However, the world's biggest coffee chain has been quietly shrinking its map, and Minnesota is starting to feel it.

In late September, Starbucks announced plans to close about 250 locations across North America, roughly 1% of its stores on the continent. The company said the locations either weren't delivering the experience it wants for customers and employees, or simply weren't making financial sense.

The closures are part of CEO Brian Niccol's turnaround plan, which also leans on simplified menus and store upgrades.

It isn't the first round, either. Almost exactly a year earlier, Starbucks closed 627 stores in North America and Europe and laid off 900 non-retail employees.

Minnesota Has Already Lost Starbucks Locations

Starbucks never released an official list, but Minnesota closures surfaced quickly. In Mankato, the store at 1610 Interlachen Trail near Menards served its final customers on Saturday, September 26, less than a year after it opened. Employees were offered transfers to nearby stores where jobs were available, or severance.

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Up north, the Bemidji Starbucks at 202 Shevlin Avenue SW was also identified as part of the cuts after its hours changed on the company's store locator.

Meanwhile, Rochester's eight locations appeared to be unaffected at the time. That is not the case, however, for a Starbucks that sits downtown in the state's second-largest city.

A Downtown St. Paul Staple Is Closing

Now, a longtime fixture in downtown St. Paul is counting down its final days. The Starbucks at 380 S. Peter Street, tucked next to Chipotle inside the Infor Commons building near Rice Park, will close for good on Friday, December 4, according to a notice posted inside the store.

"We would like to thank you for being part of our store community; you are the heart of who we are at Starbucks," the notice reads.

It points regulars to St. Paul locations on Snelling Avenue North, Grand Avenue, and West 7th Street, while downtown workers will find the closest option across the Wabasha Street Bridge at West Side Flats.

No reason was given for the closing. However, the timing lines up neatly with the company's September announcement.

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Don't Be Surprised If More Minnesota Stores Follow

Starbucks hasn't said it's finished trimming, and the pattern is hard to ignore. Two major rounds of closures in two years, plus a plan to phase out its pickup-only stores in 2026, including two in Minneapolis, suggest the company is willing to cut wherever the numbers don't add up.

That doesn't mean your favorite neighborhood location is doomed. Still, if a Minnesota location isn't pulling its weight, Starbucks won't hesitate to pull the plug, as recent history shows.

So if you have a favorite barista who knows your order by heart, this might be a good week to tip a little extra and tell them thanks.