Plainfield Starbucks to remain open, despite closure rumors

Despite reports by USA Today and other news outlets, the village of Plainfield said that it’s Starbucks location is not slated for closure.

During a quarterly earnings call July 29, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said that as part of the company’s effort to get back to its roots as a “welcoming coffeehouse,” the chain will be “sunsetting” its mobile order-only pickup stores beginning in fiscal 2026.

Niccol said the reason behind this choice was because the locations were found to be “overly transactional and lacking warmth and human connection.”

The mobile order-only locations were first introduced in 2019, and there are currently about 90 locations across the U.S., including Plainfield.

Initial reporting from USA Today and other outlets said that the chain would be shutting down all of these locations and specifically listed the Plainfield store at 12640 S. Route 59 among the expected casualties.

However, when asked if the village had received communication from Starbucks about the planned closure, Plainfield Economic Development Director Jake Melrose said the closure would not be happening.

“The building owner of the lessor to Starbucks has been told by Starbucks representation that this location is not closing and is one of the better sales-producing stores in the region,” Melrose told The Herald-News on Friday, Aug. 8. “Unfortunately, it appears the list of closing stores that was published is causing confusion, but we have been told that the subject Plainfield location is not closing.”

Starbucks has since clarified that not all the pickup locations will be shuttered as part of this “sunsetting” effort. Although some lower-performing stores will close permanently, others, including possibly Plainfield, will be refurbished to include more seating and dine-in features found in the chain’s traditional stores. Mobile ordering still will be available at these locations.

The larger “Back to Starbucks” campaign that this redesign is part of also has included the reintroduction of self-serve condiment bars to stores, the elimination of an upcharge for nondairy milks, and the introduction of a new cafe code of conduct to make stores more welcoming, according to the earnings report.