The Starbucks at 167 Church St. has closed, another of the locations that proved to be one too many for the ever-present coffee chain. The closing is reminiscent of the quick closure of the Starbucks on Laird Drive about 30 months ago. Some are surprised at how quickly such closures occur. One secret is that cash-rich Starbucks doesn’t try to cancel the lease. Monthly payments continue to the end of the lease with the location standing vacant. It is an insight into the relative cost of rent versus staff and daily operation of a Starbucks. In the case of the Laird location, it was clear that the firm had too many outlets in the area.
