Burr Ridge Starbucks Closes Early For Racial Bias Training

BURR RIDGE, IL — Starbucks is closing more than 8,000 stores nationwide Tuesday afternoon for racial bias training, including its Burr Ridge location at I-55 and County Line Road.

Closings impact regular Starbucks locations, and they will close at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Licensed locations inside places such as Barnes and Noble and Target may have regular hours. The Starbucks in the Willowbrook Target will close at 9 p.m.

"For several hours this afternoon, we will close stores and offices to discuss how to make Starbucks a place where all people feel welcome," Starbucks said in a Twitter statement. "Thank you for your patience and support as we renew our promise to make Starbucks an inclusive gathering place for all. See you tomorrow."

The training is a response to the arrest of two black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks after the manager called police on them. On April 12, the manager of a Starbucks in downtown Philadelphia called police on two black men who were seated inside the store. They had not bought anything, and apparently refused to leave. The police arrested the men for loitering, which was captured in a cell phone video.

Patch editor Emily Leayman contributed to this report.

Image via Shutterstock.