All Local Starbucks to Close by Feb. 12th

30 Dec, 2013

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ROCKFORD, IL – Kimberly Dumond’s 3-year career has come to this: Two weeks of severance pay.

The 45-year-old, who works at the Starbucks on Perryville Rd in Rockford, is one of roughly 39 local employees set to lose their jobs when the coffee giant chain closes all six of its locations this month.

“Everybody is surprised. Absolutely everybody,” Dumond said. “There are people who have been here since the store opened 4 years ago. We don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Starbucks has long faced a downhill battle as it struggled to compete with upscale local bean-brewhouses such as Wired Cafe and Octane Interlounge. After more than two years of dwindling revenue and no profit, Starbucks announced it would shutter all of the chain stores by February 12th.

“Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the stores remained unprofitable,” said Rob S.Nirner, chief executive of Starbucks. “We’ve reached the point at which continuing to operate these stores does not make financial sense for the company.”

“People in Rockford seem to only like local coffee,” said Nirner.

You will learn more when we know less.™

– Jay Vannigan