Starbucks lays off 61 people at Seattle corporate headquarters
KOMO • • business
Key Points:
- Starbucks is laying off 61 employees in its Seattle corporate technology department as part of a reorganization, with layoffs beginning June 20 and completing by August 28; all layoffs are permanent.
- The affected workers are not unionized, so they cannot displace employees with less seniority during the layoffs.
- Despite opening a new corporate office in Nashville to expand Southeast operations, Starbucks confirmed Seattle remains its North America and global support headquarters.
- Recent years have seen multiple closures and layoffs in Seattle, including the shutdown of the Seattle Reserve Roastery locations and the reduction of store counts by about 1%.
- Starbucks experienced significant labor unrest, with a nationwide strike from November to February 2026 focused on wages, hours, and working conditions, ending with workers returning but continuing to seek improvements.