Starbucks shuts down Toronto cafe and neighbourhood is surprised and confused

A Starbucks location in downtown Toronto abruptly shut its doors last week to the surprise of local residents, who only found out about the closure after heading to the café to pick up some coffee.

The store in question, located at 10 Lower Spadina Avenue just off Queens Quay West, posted a sign to its storefront that notified customers of its closure on Aug. 17. 

"We're grateful you've allowed us to be part of your daily routine — and hope you'll visit us at one of our neighbouring stores," the sign read, asking customers to visit the chain's nearby locations at Spadina and Fort York and Housey Street. 

"Was so saddened to discover this yesterday! I'm guessing this also means gear up for longer waits at the Fort York one," a local resident who posted the sign on a community Facebook page wrote. 

The Starbucks officially closed its doors on Aug. 17. Photo via Facebook.

Reactions to the closure were mixed, with some mourning the loss of the coffee shop while others noted that there are tons of other options in the area. 

"Will miss this one, sad for the people who had jobs there. Thankfully we still have Fort York location," another person wrote. 

"Lately, Starbucks has been notoriously closing stores overnight," one resident noted. 

Others claimed that the Starbucks location was having lease issues with its landlord, although the coffee chain has not verified these speculations. 

When asked about its recent closure, a Starbucks spokesperson told blogTO that the company "continually" evaluates its portfolio to "ensure it meets the needs of our partners (employees), customers and the communities" it serves. 

"There are several factors and actions we consider when evaluating our store portfolio," the spokesperson explained.

"This includes opening new locations, identifying stores in need of investment or renovation, exploring locations where an alternative format is needed, and in some instances, we re-evaluate where our stores are located."