Washington Square Starbucks To Close Friday

BROOKLINE, MA — A popular Washington Square coffee shop is set to close Friday. Although employees were told in the fall that the store would close by January, somehow it was able to hold on just a bit longer.

Marjorie Hickey has lived in Brookline her whole life, and for the past five years she's spent Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Washington Square Starbucks, ordering a drink or two and reading. Although there are several other coffee spots on the block, she's not sure any will measure up.

"It's very sad, because Cafe Nero is too noisy and dirty," she said. She's going to test out Athan's Bakery Monday, but she's worried she won't be able to linger and read there. If it doesn't work, she'll try heading to Dunkin.

Joan Klebes, also of Brookline, has spent many an hour studying and working from the Washington Square spot, that was a smaller coffee shop called Coffee Bean before Starbucks took it over some two decades ago.

She's tried Cafe Fixe and Nero, but likes this particular Starbucks coffee better. And she likes the scale of the space and the people who work and visit the store.

"There's something about this place," she said. "I like the fact that there are all the same people working every day and regulars who come. It's like a family."

It's a place where the baristas remember your name and your order if you come regularly enough, other customers, agree.

"I'll just miss it," said Klebes.

The Harvard Street Starbucks closed in October

The closures come as the company announced it had to close 150 poorly performing company-operated stores last year. In 2018 the CEO announced the company was streamlining in an effort to increase shareholder returns.

"We must move faster to address the more rapidly changing preferences and needs of our customers," said Kevin Johnson, Starbucks president and ceo in a statement last year.

This isn't the first time Starbucks shuttered stores and cut jobs. This isn't even the biggest cut. About a decade ago, in 2008 and 2009 on the heels of the recession Starbucks announced they were cutting 600 stores and something like 12,000 jobs.

Employees are telling customers they've known since September and the company has offered them jobs at other stores in the area.

Employees at the Starbucks in Coolidge Corner and in Brookline Village said those stores are staying open. Employees at the Starbucks in Cleveland Circle said they're expected to stick around for the foreseeable future, too.

Other coffee options in Washington Square include Cafe Fixe, Athan's Bakery, Cafe Nero and Dunks.

Previously

Starbucks To Close Stores In Brookline

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).