STUDIO CITY, Calif. (CNS) - A Starbucks location in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Studio City has removed all of its indoor seating due to unspecified "safety concerns."
The sign was posted on the window of the coffee shop at Vineland Avenue and Ventura Boulevard notified customers that seating was "temporarily unavailable," citing "safety concerns for our customers and partners." No specific reason for the move was given.
Starbucks officials released a statement which also did not include any specific reasoning for the change, but said local store operators are "empowered to use the many resources at their disposal to modify store operations and create the best experience for our communities."
Last year, Starbucks closed 16 locations nationwide, including a half- dozen in the Los Angeles area, due to safety concerns for employees and customers.
Company vice presidents Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson wrote in a letter to employees last year that issues facing the nation as a whole -- including "personal safety, racism, lack of access to healthcare, a growing mental health crisis, rising drug use and more" -- are impacting some of the coffee chain's locations.
"With stores in thousands of communities across the country, we know these challenges can, at times, play out within our stores too," they wrote. "We read every incident report you file -- it's a lot."
Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
