Originally published Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Starbucks closing 73% of Australian stores
Starbucks will close 61 of its stores in Australia — 73 percent of the 84 stores there — as part of a turnaround strategy that...
Seattle Times staff writer
Starbucks will close 61 of its stores in Australia — 73 percent of the 84 stores there — as part of a turnaround strategy that includes closing 616 stores in the United States.
The company will have only 23 stores remaining in or near Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
Starbucks will lay off 685 workers in Australia because of the closings, including in-store employees and administrative staff. The underperforming stores will close by Aug. 3.
These are the first international store closings that Starbucks has announced. Most of its financial woes, including declining traffic, appear to be in the U.S., and the company is shifting its focus to grow more quickly overseas than in the U.S. The 616 U.S. stores being closed make up about 5 percent of Starbucks' U.S. footprint
"While this decision represents business challenges unique to the Australian market, it in no way reflects the strong state of Starbucks business in countries outside of the United States," Chief Executive Howard Schultz said in a news release. "There are no other international markets that need to be addressed in this manner."
A list of stores scheduled to close in Australia is at www.starbucks.com.auand www.starbucks.com.
Melissa Allison: 206-464-3312 and mallison@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Tech execs double as scourges and sages at Allen & Co.'s media summit
Brier Dudley: Brier Dudley | Learning hard lessons from Boeing giveaways
Symantec, McAfee add firepower to market-share war
Interface: UIEvolution helps content providers get mobile

2009 fireworks time lapse
With strict parking rules enforced at this year's July 4th celebration on Wallingford Ave North, less cars and more spectators filled the streets.
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
shopping

events for Monday, Jul. 6th
- Blackbird Spring Half-Yearly Sale
- Posh on Main Semiannual Sale
- Alhambra July Sale
- Evo Independence Sale
editors' picks
More shopping guides- Landmark Smith Tower mostly vacant
- Property taxes: Appeals shoot up in King, Snohomish Counties
- Palin links resignation to 'higher calling' and blasts media in Facebook posting
- Former NFL MVP McNair killed
- Hard times for tourist towns means good deals for travelers
- Shooting unveils very different sides of McNair
- Tukwila residents rally against light-rail noise
- Quincy Jones remembers "the biggest entertainer on the planet": Michael Jackson
- Confessions of an Idol Addict | "American Idols" on tour: Live coverage from opening date
- Plasma and LCD beware; OLED screens ready to go mainstream
- Seattle Mariners at Boston Red Sox: 07/05 game thread
247 - Palin links resignation to 'higher calling' and blasts media in Facebook posting
175 - Hatred for the NBA runs deep, but don't take it out on the players
137 - Tukwila residents rally against light-rail noise
126 - Former NFL MVP McNair killed
113 - Property taxes: Appeals shoot up is King, Snohomish Counties
103 - Tent City on campus: UW stalls decision
100 - Anti-tax rally in Olympia attracts about 1,500
68 - Seeking your questions
53 - Mariners did their part, now they need help
46
- Property taxes: Appeals shoot up in King, Snohomish Counties
- Hard times for tourist towns means good deals for travelers
- Landmark Smith Tower mostly vacant
- Plasma and LCD beware; OLED screens ready to go mainstream
- Tent City on campus: UW stalls decision
- The People's Pharmacy | Estrogen mimicker found in sunscreen
- Toyota's Toyoda scolds execs for emulating U.S. car companies' mistakes
- Tukwila residents rally against light-rail noise
- Outdoor-theater season kicks off at Volunteer Park
- Seattle safety project: A snake shelter on Beacon Hill
