Starbucks fans better get their coffee fix early today as the chain is planning to close for three hours this afternoon to conduct anti-bias training for its nearly 180,000 employees.
8,000 stores, excluding those in airports, college campuses and inside retail stores, will close for three hours beginning around 1:00. The company says that training will “focus on understanding prejudice and the history of public accommodations in the United States.” Starbucks instructed its stores to conduct the training session in the wake of the Philadelphia debacle in which two black men were arrested for simply sitting inside the store.
The store closings this afternoon is expected to cost the chain around $12 million in lost profit. (USA Today)
Fasho Thoughts:
- People will just have to get that afternoon cup somewhere else today.
- Starbucks’ loss will be other stores’ gain today.
- The media is not invited to any of these training sessions, and employees may not be allowed to talk about it, so we may not get to know too much of what will be discussed.
Source: CS / CS
