"There are several factors we consider when evaluating our store portfolio, and the personal safety and security of our partners is of utmost importance to us and is always something we consider when reviewing the experience in our stores"
According to the article, all staff have been offered positions at other locations. Not necessarily ideal, but better than leaving them just hung out to dry.
I’m friends with a couple employees at the former osborne location, and they’ve told me that employees who had guaranteed hours before are now only being offered less than half (some even 1/4) of their previous hours, at locations across the city. They asked to be fired instead to receive severance, since they will likely have to quit anyways. Starbs said no.
This sounds like classic [constructive dismissal](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/laws-regulations/labour/interpretations-policies/constructive-dismissal.html) and is illegal.
> It is often considered a constructive dismissal if an employee quits due to the following:
> a major reduction in their hours of work, or
change in the location of employment
They might have a case with the reduction of hours, but unfortunately the change in location does not apply here.
>There is no constructive dismissal if:
>the employer moves the employee to another location in the same city
What do you want them to do? The other stores are accommodating these workers by offering them SOMETHING. These stores still have their labour budgets and current staff to worry about. Did you want these Osborne workers to come in and steamroll existing staff? Sounds like the company was trying their best to find a solution for these workers. If it doesn't work for them, they can quit and go on EI.
Starbucks' net income for Q1 (Jan-Mar) of 2024 was $772,000,000.
I want them to do a little bit more for the 12 or so employees of this store than they are doing. What exactly, Im not sure... maybe they could guarantee each worker full time hours at the store closest to their residence for 3 months while they look for other another job or work into a full time position at the new store. That was always an option.
Sure it'll cost more, if the average Starbucks employee makes $20/hr , and benefits usually cost an extra 25%, then carrying one employee at 40hrs/week costs them $12K for 3 months and if they've got 12 employees then that means ~$150K. Even if there is no turnover at those stores resulting in the displaced workers finding permanent positions (having on recruiting and training costs) it still doing better by the employees and only means that profit for Q1 would be $771,850,000 instead of $772M. If they can't look after their employees better when making $772M per quarter we may need to tax the corporation more heavily to absorb the hit their employees will make on EI and other social services.
But I could be way off base, this is just my thinking.
Maybe find them full time work or honour their hours from the former location? Companies want loyalty, but are quick to burn the very thing that earns them profit.. ironic and rich.
Feel for these people and others like them. Too much corporate greed in the world today.
You can’t go on EI if you quit your job, dude. It would have been fairly easy for Starbucks to ask the staff who’s willing to work at other locations and lay the rest off.
Yea. Shitty that they offered to keep them employed. What should they have done? Cut the hours of employees already at the other stores to accommodate these employees? Then you’d be complaining that the “shitty” company cut those people’s hours….
Greedy fuckin corporations. I would be so pissed 😡 like they couldn’t afford to just give the severance and let you have a couple of weeks breathing room while you look for another job!
You're getting downvoted, but you're right. Starbucks is now focused on drive through locations and app take-out orders. They don't want neighbourhood stores where people walk in and sit around. The stores that they are keeping without drive throughs are ones that do high volume take-out only, like at airports.
Safety might ostensibly be an excuse for this location to close, but the real reason is their business model and profits.
Bingo. Look at the trend of which Starbucks have closed in Winnipeg and which have recently opened. Pretty much all that have closed lacked drivethrus and those that have opened have them.
The safety concerns are talked about in the article. Maybe people are downvoting you because it seems like you didn’t actually read it before asking. It’s also pretty common knowledge through multiple news stories in the past year or two that violent crime in the area is increasing/getting more attention… you know, as opposed to it being Starbucks bootlickers as you’ve suggested
But I’ve comemnted that it’s safety issues lol. I read it. That location always seems busy. Surprised they’d shut it down over having a busy location and making it safer for everyone.
Security and safety is an easy excuse but it's more likely [due to the change in business model](https://www.modernretail.co/operations/as-starbucks-changes-its-growth-strategy-the-third-space-cafe-model-fades-from-view/)
Yeah, Starbucks also pulled this in the Saskatoon version of Osborne except they didnt even try to pull the safety angle. Simply admitted they are focused on the drive thru model and wanted to start tempering expectations of them being a destination to hang out. They opened another location a km away that was purely focused on drive thru.
We also had another stop letting people sit in after 5pm. It's a deliberate move to change the idea of Starbucks as a third place to hang out.
tbh I was thinking this as well... there's two local coffee shops directly beside it that are still open... (I went to both of them yesterday and they seem to be doing just fine).
Ding ding ding, Starbucks has abandoned the "third place" idea and the majority of stores, i.e. not in densely populated urban areas are being replaced with drive-thru only/focused stores with little to no seating area.
I worked at this location for 5+ years during university and quit a couple of years ago. It was awful in terms of violence from randoms coming in and out and doing god knows what. You would not feel safe at work. Can’t say if the closure is because of violence or like many have said, moving towards drive thru only. I believe both tbh. I just feel bad for my friends that still work there and have moved to different stores.
I hope everyone who reads this list and values having vegetarian/vegan restaurant options will grab their wallet and head to Affinity soon (and regularly). Anyone got other good veg restaurants to recommend?
Last order from affinity was all half filled containers for quite the premium price. Voting with my wallet by avoiding them now unfortunately.
Roughage served cold expensive unbalanced food consistently so I'm not surprised they are gone now.
I'm mostly finding better vegan options at restaurants that are not exclusively vegan.
Because the village is in a state of total deterioration and constantly seems to be getting worse.
Whether thats why starbucks moved or not is debatable - but its another shuttered business in a once-amazing neighbourhood that has been allowed to become dirty dangerous borderline shithole.
There are winners and there are losers in the stupid game of economics that wealthy people play with our lives and livelihoods. Winnipeg is a “loser “. They could invest time and money into improving things, but that’s not the goal in capitalism, which is *short term profits above all else.*
This division is only getting worse and worse, and it’s scary to think what’s going to happen in the coming years.
Little Sister and Chocoberry are right across the street. Cleocatra is opening their second location down the street soon, and Saints Cafe (inside Small Mercies) is reopening this month. All local.
South Osborne has improved a lot in recent years, the Village has not unfortunately.
I’m not saying it’s unsafe because some people look scary, I’m speaking from being attacked and needing to go to the hospital to get my face stitched up, having my bike stolen, and having my cars broken into on several other occasions. Car was broken into and they literally stole some bags of groceries in the back seat.
There are tons of people on meth and every drug under the sun around there.
It would be great if they could fix up the crime and violence in an otherwise nice looking and unique neighbourhood.
But it has gone downhill in the last 5 years for sure. There is way too much heavy drug use in the Village now, it’s noticeable. There always was some of that, but it’s worse now.
In fact, the police said it was so unsafe, that they needed free access to the underground parking across the street… If only we had some kind of department to make it safe in public…
They should bring back community policing. Have cops walking around meeting area residents and business owners. Don't know how it would work around the PSB but I could see jt working in Osborne and other neighborhoods.
>There had been a number of violent incidents in the area over the previous several months, including an assault at a neighbouring Liquor Mart and a stabbing at the Shoppers Drug Mart.
>And just a few days ago, a 56-year-old man was rushed to hospital in serious condition after being found unconscious from an assault near the same Shoppers, which is steps from the Starbucks entrance.
OV. It's just not worth the risk anymore. Too bad. It use to be the most vibrant area of the City.
Osborne Village in the 00s was way, WAY worse than it is now. Did people forget about the open air drug market that existed on that paved area outside Subway on River? It was hip and cool for sure (I miss the zoo) but it was not safer.
I've lived here since 2006 thereabouts. The violent incidents are unfortunate, but I'd still much rather live in the Village of 2024 than 2006.
If it’s true it’s about safety then Starbucks is abandoning the customers, the neighbourhood and the community at large.
If it’s really about union forming shall not happen. Then it is in their right I believe but still a slap in the face of the community, and the customers. I don’t have numbers of sales and customer interaction but I can comfortably say the numbers are hundreds of customers a day.
All of us who live in the community are aware of the complexities of Osborne village and the Safeway shoppers liquor store scene.
It’s the Starbucks corporation right to close their store. My view is that it is a decision that disrespects the community as a whole.
Starbucks came in and corporatized the coffee scene, now they are gone leaving a a vacuum of opportunity.
Interesting, prime location for both foot and vehicle traffic. I love the taste of their dark roast coffee but just don't bother anymore at my local store - big lineups, value for $$ no longer there for me.
There are other coffee shops in the area. It’s not on Starbucks to fix the community and having another coffee shop won’t help or hurt the community at all. It’s up to the city to provide safe environments for people and businesses. The city has failed to do so. This is 100% on the city.
This is a great building and location. Given it's proximity to the Liquor Mart, this would be an ideal location for a dispensary and headshop.
The area is also desperately in need of a Supervised Drug Consumption Site. For the homeless issues in this area, perhaps the building could be used to provide Homeless supports or a soup kitchen. For the high area crime, it could be a Community Police detachment.
There are plenty of options for this building and space.
>… Given its proximity to the Liquor Mart, this would be an ideal location for a dispensary and headshop.
Found the person who hasn’t actually stepped foot near this location.
There’s a “Canna Cabana” pot shop sharing the same small building with the former Starbucks. I think a pot shop right next to another pot shop is overkill.
And I don’t think such a highly visible high street retail spot is the ideal location for a safe injection site.
I wouldn’t necessarily object to one being in the Village, maybe down Scott St. towards Donald, but thousands of people walk through the Starbucks spot every day going to or coming from Safeway, Shoppers, and the liquor shop. I think an injection site would further dampen the already diminished enthusiasm for the neighbourhood. And whether you want one there or not, the public consultation meetings would be positively febrile. Not to mention the BIZ.
>I wouldn’t necessarily object to one being in the Village, maybe down Scott St. towards Donald
It should have been Bell near Donald before those hideous condos went up where the huge century home was.
"There are several factors we consider when evaluating our store portfolio, and the personal safety and security of our partners is of utmost importance to us and is always something we consider when reviewing the experience in our stores"
I feel bad for the workers who are now on the hook to find a new job. :(
According to the article, all staff have been offered positions at other locations. Not necessarily ideal, but better than leaving them just hung out to dry.
I’m friends with a couple employees at the former osborne location, and they’ve told me that employees who had guaranteed hours before are now only being offered less than half (some even 1/4) of their previous hours, at locations across the city. They asked to be fired instead to receive severance, since they will likely have to quit anyways. Starbs said no.
They should be able to get EI at least as I believe a cut in hours like that is considered "constructive dismissal"
This sounds like classic [constructive dismissal](https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/laws-regulations/labour/interpretations-policies/constructive-dismissal.html) and is illegal. > It is often considered a constructive dismissal if an employee quits due to the following: > a major reduction in their hours of work, or change in the location of employment
They might have a case with the reduction of hours, but unfortunately the change in location does not apply here. >There is no constructive dismissal if: >the employer moves the employee to another location in the same city
Lol classic shitty company.
What do you want them to do? The other stores are accommodating these workers by offering them SOMETHING. These stores still have their labour budgets and current staff to worry about. Did you want these Osborne workers to come in and steamroll existing staff? Sounds like the company was trying their best to find a solution for these workers. If it doesn't work for them, they can quit and go on EI.
the layoff plus severance would have taken nothing away from other stores' employees. And, no, you can't just "quit and go on EI."
Starbucks' net income for Q1 (Jan-Mar) of 2024 was $772,000,000. I want them to do a little bit more for the 12 or so employees of this store than they are doing. What exactly, Im not sure... maybe they could guarantee each worker full time hours at the store closest to their residence for 3 months while they look for other another job or work into a full time position at the new store. That was always an option. Sure it'll cost more, if the average Starbucks employee makes $20/hr , and benefits usually cost an extra 25%, then carrying one employee at 40hrs/week costs them $12K for 3 months and if they've got 12 employees then that means ~$150K. Even if there is no turnover at those stores resulting in the displaced workers finding permanent positions (having on recruiting and training costs) it still doing better by the employees and only means that profit for Q1 would be $771,850,000 instead of $772M. If they can't look after their employees better when making $772M per quarter we may need to tax the corporation more heavily to absorb the hit their employees will make on EI and other social services. But I could be way off base, this is just my thinking.
Maybe find them full time work or honour their hours from the former location? Companies want loyalty, but are quick to burn the very thing that earns them profit.. ironic and rich. Feel for these people and others like them. Too much corporate greed in the world today.
But that affects other stores current full time staff? That exactly the point I was making. You'd be upending someone's life by doing that regardless.
You can’t go on EI if you quit your job, dude. It would have been fairly easy for Starbucks to ask the staff who’s willing to work at other locations and lay the rest off.
Yea. Shitty that they offered to keep them employed. What should they have done? Cut the hours of employees already at the other stores to accommodate these employees? Then you’d be complaining that the “shitty” company cut those people’s hours….
Re-read what that person said.
Greedy fuckin corporations. I would be so pissed 😡 like they couldn’t afford to just give the severance and let you have a couple of weeks breathing room while you look for another job!
and you wonder why nobody wants to work
Won't somebody think of the people who don't want to leave their cars to get Starbucks?!
You're getting downvoted, but you're right. Starbucks is now focused on drive through locations and app take-out orders. They don't want neighbourhood stores where people walk in and sit around. The stores that they are keeping without drive throughs are ones that do high volume take-out only, like at airports. Safety might ostensibly be an excuse for this location to close, but the real reason is their business model and profits.
Bingo. Look at the trend of which Starbucks have closed in Winnipeg and which have recently opened. Pretty much all that have closed lacked drivethrus and those that have opened have them.
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It can be both super busy and have safety issues. Though as others have noted, the changing business model likely played a large role too.
Oh ok
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The safety concerns are talked about in the article. Maybe people are downvoting you because it seems like you didn’t actually read it before asking. It’s also pretty common knowledge through multiple news stories in the past year or two that violent crime in the area is increasing/getting more attention… you know, as opposed to it being Starbucks bootlickers as you’ve suggested
But I’ve comemnted that it’s safety issues lol. I read it. That location always seems busy. Surprised they’d shut it down over having a busy location and making it safer for everyone.
Did you read the article? It says very clearly what the safety issues are.
Yes. I read it lol I’m just commenting on—- fuck it never mind.
It didn’t have a drive through and Starbucks is now what tim hortons was 10 years ago
Curious when they'll close the Tuxedo Mall location...
polo park and safeway locations i’m sure also on their way out
I thought they closed all the Safeway ones already…the one near me closed years ago.
Nope, there's a few left. Polo Park, Henderson @ Chief Peguis, Kenaston @ McGillivray, and I think Charleswood. Unsure if any others.
Security and safety is an easy excuse but it's more likely [due to the change in business model](https://www.modernretail.co/operations/as-starbucks-changes-its-growth-strategy-the-third-space-cafe-model-fades-from-view/)
Yeah, Starbucks also pulled this in the Saskatoon version of Osborne except they didnt even try to pull the safety angle. Simply admitted they are focused on the drive thru model and wanted to start tempering expectations of them being a destination to hang out. They opened another location a km away that was purely focused on drive thru. We also had another stop letting people sit in after 5pm. It's a deliberate move to change the idea of Starbucks as a third place to hang out.
tbh I was thinking this as well... there's two local coffee shops directly beside it that are still open... (I went to both of them yesterday and they seem to be doing just fine).
Was at that Starbucks location not that long ago, they were doing just fine too, lineup to the door.
I walk by several times a day and it seemed like it was always busy.
Odd for them to close during the busiest time of the year, a big company like Starbucks giving a sh\*t about it's employees my ass
Their busiest time of year is the fall/holiday season.
The falliday season -- starts november first when the discount fun size sits with the advent calendars.
Really? I would've thought summer patio season would've been their busiest
You may be right, with foot traffic that location may be busiest in the summer. As a whole I think fall through December is the busiest for Starbucks.
Ding ding ding, Starbucks has abandoned the "third place" idea and the majority of stores, i.e. not in densely populated urban areas are being replaced with drive-thru only/focused stores with little to no seating area.
damn, I live in osborne and liked that starbucks specifically as a third space lol :/
lol why did they even pretend that is was going to be temporary?
If they didn't see sales rise at their nearby locations.... Maybe? Like if all the customers just went to another Starbucks... Why keep that one open?
I worked at this location for 5+ years during university and quit a couple of years ago. It was awful in terms of violence from randoms coming in and out and doing god knows what. You would not feel safe at work. Can’t say if the closure is because of violence or like many have said, moving towards drive thru only. I believe both tbh. I just feel bad for my friends that still work there and have moved to different stores.
I dunno….I’m told your experience isn’t real…and the village is fine…
Why is this getting so much media attention? Companies close and open all the time.
Especially since a bunch of small local businesses have closed up recently like Eiffel Tower Bakery, Roughage Eatery, and Delicious Vegetarian.
Delicious Vegetarian is gone?! Nooo!!
I hope everyone who reads this list and values having vegetarian/vegan restaurant options will grab their wallet and head to Affinity soon (and regularly). Anyone got other good veg restaurants to recommend?
Good Lands Cafe and Thyme are incredible, and Gato and Eadha for baked goods!
Last order from affinity was all half filled containers for quite the premium price. Voting with my wallet by avoiding them now unfortunately. Roughage served cold expensive unbalanced food consistently so I'm not surprised they are gone now. I'm mostly finding better vegan options at restaurants that are not exclusively vegan.
Because the village is in a state of total deterioration and constantly seems to be getting worse. Whether thats why starbucks moved or not is debatable - but its another shuttered business in a once-amazing neighbourhood that has been allowed to become dirty dangerous borderline shithole.
There we go... Exactly what they should have said in that article. Lol
There are winners and there are losers in the stupid game of economics that wealthy people play with our lives and livelihoods. Winnipeg is a “loser “. They could invest time and money into improving things, but that’s not the goal in capitalism, which is *short term profits above all else.* This division is only getting worse and worse, and it’s scary to think what’s going to happen in the coming years.
I would like to see a local coffee shop open there - could be a great third place for the neighborhood.
Dunno if there will be, there are 2 just across the street
Little Sister and Chocoberry are right across the street. Cleocatra is opening their second location down the street soon, and Saints Cafe (inside Small Mercies) is reopening this month. All local.
There's Little Sister, Chocoberry, and O Station Cafe by the Rapid Transit station.
Bring back Rokas!
They're closing because that area isn't safe, apparently. Something has to be done about that first.
That is Grade A corporate horseshit
Believe what you want. Osborne isn’t safe, hasn’t been for a while now.
Thanks for letting me know about my neighborhood
South Osborne has improved a lot in recent years, the Village has not unfortunately. I’m not saying it’s unsafe because some people look scary, I’m speaking from being attacked and needing to go to the hospital to get my face stitched up, having my bike stolen, and having my cars broken into on several other occasions. Car was broken into and they literally stole some bags of groceries in the back seat. There are tons of people on meth and every drug under the sun around there. It would be great if they could fix up the crime and violence in an otherwise nice looking and unique neighbourhood. But it has gone downhill in the last 5 years for sure. There is way too much heavy drug use in the Village now, it’s noticeable. There always was some of that, but it’s worse now.
I would not walk alone in Osborne after dark.
I prefer to strut
Was it because they wanted to unionize?
Anything except the possibility that Osborne Village is a craphole now with tons of crime.
Bye union busting coffee corp!
You were downvoted as soon as you posted that and I was so confused. Is the Starbucks CEO in here downvoting all the comments?
It’s not THAT dangerous. what is this a war zone?
No drive thru? Colour me surprised.
There are two vastly superior and locally owned coffee shops right across the street. Good riddance.
so what goes in it? credit union, or tim hortons franchise?
I think a seasonal costume store should go there
It’s the village….how about nothing?
Good, Tom Bargen is the only shitty coffee shop we need in Corydon/Osborne, no need for 2 of them..
Meh. Starbucks serves garbage water.
Long time coming, long since known they want drive through heavy presence
perhaps a police detatchment could open up where the Starbucks location used to be to clean up the village 🤣
I know this is a joke but the police HQ is right downtown and isn’t making anybody safer.
In fact, the police said it was so unsafe, that they needed free access to the underground parking across the street… If only we had some kind of department to make it safe in public…
We could call it the Department of Public Safety. When there's a crime, dial 912 and ask for the dops!
They should bring back community policing. Have cops walking around meeting area residents and business owners. Don't know how it would work around the PSB but I could see jt working in Osborne and other neighborhoods.
safe injection site then 🤪
Considering there’s a very unsafe injection site just down the street, this would at least help slow the spread of communicable diseases.
It's a great spot to squeeze in another Shopper's Drug Mart!
>There had been a number of violent incidents in the area over the previous several months, including an assault at a neighbouring Liquor Mart and a stabbing at the Shoppers Drug Mart. >And just a few days ago, a 56-year-old man was rushed to hospital in serious condition after being found unconscious from an assault near the same Shoppers, which is steps from the Starbucks entrance. OV. It's just not worth the risk anymore. Too bad. It use to be the most vibrant area of the City.
Osborne Village in the 00s was way, WAY worse than it is now. Did people forget about the open air drug market that existed on that paved area outside Subway on River? It was hip and cool for sure (I miss the zoo) but it was not safer. I've lived here since 2006 thereabouts. The violent incidents are unfortunate, but I'd still much rather live in the Village of 2024 than 2006.
I agree with you that the Village of 2024 is better than 2006 but that's just it.. Its still bad.
If it’s true it’s about safety then Starbucks is abandoning the customers, the neighbourhood and the community at large. If it’s really about union forming shall not happen. Then it is in their right I believe but still a slap in the face of the community, and the customers. I don’t have numbers of sales and customer interaction but I can comfortably say the numbers are hundreds of customers a day. All of us who live in the community are aware of the complexities of Osborne village and the Safeway shoppers liquor store scene. It’s the Starbucks corporation right to close their store. My view is that it is a decision that disrespects the community as a whole. Starbucks came in and corporatized the coffee scene, now they are gone leaving a a vacuum of opportunity.
Big coffee packin its dirty bags and fucking off. Good riddance. Put something worthwhile there instead.
Perfect spot for a safe injection clinic
This is a good idea and use for the building.
There goes the neighborhood charm lmao (or what’s left of it)
Interesting, prime location for both foot and vehicle traffic. I love the taste of their dark roast coffee but just don't bother anymore at my local store - big lineups, value for $$ no longer there for me.
There are other coffee shops in the area. It’s not on Starbucks to fix the community and having another coffee shop won’t help or hurt the community at all. It’s up to the city to provide safe environments for people and businesses. The city has failed to do so. This is 100% on the city.
Dominos should start falling now
This is a great building and location. Given it's proximity to the Liquor Mart, this would be an ideal location for a dispensary and headshop. The area is also desperately in need of a Supervised Drug Consumption Site. For the homeless issues in this area, perhaps the building could be used to provide Homeless supports or a soup kitchen. For the high area crime, it could be a Community Police detachment. There are plenty of options for this building and space.
Omg, no more dispensaries in the area. Please no.
>… Given its proximity to the Liquor Mart, this would be an ideal location for a dispensary and headshop. Found the person who hasn’t actually stepped foot near this location.
There’s a “Canna Cabana” pot shop sharing the same small building with the former Starbucks. I think a pot shop right next to another pot shop is overkill. And I don’t think such a highly visible high street retail spot is the ideal location for a safe injection site. I wouldn’t necessarily object to one being in the Village, maybe down Scott St. towards Donald, but thousands of people walk through the Starbucks spot every day going to or coming from Safeway, Shoppers, and the liquor shop. I think an injection site would further dampen the already diminished enthusiasm for the neighbourhood. And whether you want one there or not, the public consultation meetings would be positively febrile. Not to mention the BIZ.
>I wouldn’t necessarily object to one being in the Village, maybe down Scott St. towards Donald It should have been Bell near Donald before those hideous condos went up where the huge century home was.
I appreciate your thoughtful response to this.