Starbucks is pouring $100M and 2,000 jobs into Nashville — 5 months after Seattle's mayor urged a boycott

Starbucks whitethorn beryllium pouring its adjacent large concern acold from home, and it's not conscionable oat beverage that's leaving Seattle. (1)

Just 5 months aft Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson publically urged a boycott of Starbucks astatine a workers rally (2) — telling the crowd, "I americium not buying Starbucks, and you should not, too" — the institution announced it volition put $100 cardinal successful a caller Southeast office successful Nashville, bringing up to 2,000 jobs with it (3).

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The company, however, is framing the determination arsenic a strategical expansion. In a statement, main spouse serviceman Sara Kelly said the determination is driven by applicable advantages.

"Our caller bureau successful Nashville reflects 3 cardinal advantages: proximity to cardinal suppliers; entree to a heavy and increasing endowment excavation successful the region, notably successful technology; and alignment with wherever we expect aboriginal coffeehouse growth," she wrote. (4)

As Starbucks expands into Nashville, questions are already surfacing for the astir 3,000 firm employees based successful Seattle's SoDo headquarters. (5)

The institution said it would connection relocation opportunities to immoderate Seattle staff, but Tuesday's announcement provided fewer details beyond plans to physique a workforce of up to 2,000 successful Nashville and perchance displacement further "teams and roles" implicit time.

For many, Starbucks remains profoundly tied to Seattle's identity, from its planetary office to the archetypal Pike Place Market determination that draws tourists year-round (6). But the enlargement comes arsenic the institution precocious laid disconnected 69 Seattle-based employees, including baristas and displacement supervisors, and announced further store closures successful the city, raising caller concerns astir its semipermanent footprint astatine location (7).

"They are the stone present of Seattle," Edward Bunker, cook and proprietor of Lingon restaurant, told KOMO News (1). "We truly request businesses to enactment successful Seattle."

While that uncertainty is gathering successful Seattle, leaders successful Tennessee are embracing the determination arsenic a wide economical win. At a property conference, Gov. Bill Lee said the concern would bring caller accidental to the region's workforce, calling it "an announcement that they'll each beryllium envious of." (8)