Starbucks Lays Off More Employees from Seattle Headquarters – CoffeeTalk

Layoffs at Starbucks, headquartered in Seattle, are ongoing as the CEO aims to streamline operations. The Washington State Employment Security Department reported a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) concerning the impending layoffs of 61 employees linked to a reorganization within the technology department at the Starbucks Support Center located at 2401 Utah Ave S, SoDo. The layoffs are set to start on June 20, with all scheduled to conclude by August 28, and these will be permanent.

Affected employees lack union representation, meaning they cannot displace less senior employees during layoffs. In a related development, Starbucks confirmed plans to open a corporate office in Nashville later this year, expanding its presence in the Southeast. Nonetheless, a spokesperson affirmed that Seattle will remain the North American and global headquarters for support operations.

This marks another challenge for the Seattle area, particularly following the closure of the Seattle Reserve Roastery in Capitol Hill in September 2025, which was attributed to ongoing restructuring. This location had served as a unique coffee experience for nearly 11 years and was frequently the site of demonstrations by employees advocating for better pay and working conditions.

Additionally, the Reserve Roastery in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood also faced closure. In September of the same year, Starbucks reduced its North America store count by shuttering about 1% of its locations, decreasing from 18,734 to 18,300, leading to job eliminations and store closures.

In October, Starbucks initiated layoffs of 1,100 corporate employees globally, with over 900 of those from Seattle and Kent. Following these events, Starbucks workers organized a nationwide strike in November over issues primarily related to wages, hours, and work conditions. The strike ended in late February 2026, with workers returning but continuing to advocate for improved labor conditions.

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