On Tuesday, Starbucks closed all of its 7100 American stores today for three hours for barista re-training. I walked by Park Slope’s Starbucks on Seventh Avenue near First Street and saw the staff sitting in the back of the store being re-trained or whatever it is that they were doing.
I felt like waving at those familiar faces. Like, hey guys. You okay in there?
Howard Schultz, Starbucks CEO, pulled a Steve Jobs by reclaiming his job as CEO in January in an attempt revitalize the company.
He says he wants baristas to feel the passion for making espresso—it’s all part of a new focus on the customer experience.
Racked had this conjecture about the real reason for company-wide shuttering.
NATIONAL—Rumor has it that the Starbucks shutterings
tonight from 5:30 to 8:30pm are taking place so that the coffee chain
can switch its wifi over from T-Mobile to AT&T. Of course, the
official word from the company is that they’re retraining all their
baristas. If so, that coffee should taste extra-special tomorrow
morning. [RackedWire Inbox]