It's a sad day for Starbucks lovers in Licton Springs. After 31 years the Oak Tree Starbucks location is set to close permanently this September. The location was Starbuck's first to open in North Seattle and one of the 10 original stores.
Regulars, some of who have been going to the store since it first opened, have been given the news they will soon need to get their caffeine fix elsewhere. A hard pill to swallow, without a single coffee shop available within a 15 Minute Walk.
The closure will add to the many other empty storefronts at the plaza:
Many of which closed after the complex lost Larry’s Markets and with it significant foot traffic. And while the complex has recently had a bit of a revitalization in the last year, with the remodeled AMC bringing in a substantial increase in customers, the Starbuck's 6 PM closing schedule may not have effectively leveraged the bulk of the additional movie traffic.
At the end of the day, while many things may have contributed to the closure:
- Many new Starbucks opening nearby. Including one on N 84TH that is more easily accessible for pass-through traffic w/ a drive-through.
- Few evening hours.
- A growing preference to frequent small independent coffee stores, even if that means drinking coffee near where you work instead of where you live.
The store is closing for the reason most business closures happen: it is not profitable. While many will be sad to see it go, we can only hope it leads to a small independent coffee shop finally opening in Licton Springs - just like the Starbucks itself was when it opened in the area so many years ago.
If you'd like to contact Starbuck's Corporate about the closure, you can use this form to do so.