Starbucks could close down two Upper East Side coffee shops as part of a company-wide elimination of its pickup-only format, the coffee chain announced this week.
Why It Matters: The potential closure of locations at 111 East 59th Street between Lexington and Park Avenues and 1449 2nd Avenue between East 75th and 76th streets in Lenox Hill — or their conversion to traditional coffee shops — reflect CEO Brian Niccol’s push to restore “warmth and human connection” to the brand’s customer experience, according to USA Today.
Driving the News: Niccol announced during an earnings call that Starbucks will discontinue its pickup-only store model in 2026, saying the format is no longer compatible with the company’s plan to get “back to Starbucks,” USA Today reports.
What They’re Saying: “We found this format to be overly transactional,” Niccol explained.
Catch Up Quick: Starbucks introduced the pickup-only concept near Penn Station in 2019, designing stores exclusively for mobile orders and quick pickup without the wait. The format simplified coffee runs by allowing customers to place mobile orders, pick them up, and move on with their day.
By the Numbers: Approximately 80 to 90 pickup stores across more than 20 states will be impacted, with some facing permanent closure and others converting to traditional coffeehouses, USA Today notes.
The Big Picture: Starbucks has not specified what will happen to individual pick-up only stores, including the two located on the Upper East Side.
