Starbucks once ruled downtown Boston. Now it's pulling back.

Key Points:

• Starbucks has closed two downtown Boston locations recently, part of a larger $1 billion restructuring involving hundreds of store closures and layoffs across the US and Canada to address sluggish sales and long wait complaints.
• The company aims to focus on profitable stores and improve customer experience, but some former Starbucks customers have shifted to local independent coffee shops or boycotted due to labor disputes and union-related closures.
• Starbucks has reduced presence in dense urban areas like downtown Boston and San Francisco, while expanding in suburban and drive-through formats where operating costs are lower.
• Despite Starbucks’ pullback, Boston’s coffee market remains strong with around 40 new coffee shops opening citywide since early 2025, including expansions by local chains like Tradesman Coffee and new entrants like Blank Street Coffee.
• Some closed Starbucks storefronts remain vacant for extended periods, including a historic Government Center location, with landlords awaiting new tenants while Starbucks continues paying rent under existing leases.