You’ll have to grab your afternoon latte somewhere other than Starbucks today.
Starbucks Canada will be closing all its Canadian locations at 2:30 p.m. so employees can participate in a training session.
This afternoon we will close stores and offices to discuss how to make Starbucks a place where all people feel welcome.
— Starbucks Canada (@StarbucksCanada) June 11, 2018
Thank you for your patience and support as we renew our promise to make Starbucks an inclusive gathering place for all.
We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
The session will “address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome,” says a statement from the company.
The move is in response to an incident at a Philadelphia Starbucks in April, where two black men were arrested and detained for hours for simply waiting in the store.
Starbucks locations in the United States were already closed for half of the day on May 29 for a similar training day and now Canadian locations are following suit.
It prompted this comment from Starbucks Canada president Michael Conway, when announcing the June 11 closure.
“Our founding values are based on humanity and inclusion,” Conway said. “We believe that everyone deserves to be treated with respect.”
While most stores will be closing down at 2:30 p.m., you’ll want to check with your local store to be sure.
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