Starbucks Closing 16 Stores In Big Blue Cities As Crime, Drugs, Homelessness Endanger Employees, Customers.

People and businesses are fleeing Big Blue cities in droves, citing the exact problems created by Democrat policies and agendas. The latest in the mass exodus is Starbucks, who is reportedly closing 16 store locations “after workers reported incidents related to drug use and other disruptions in cafes.” According to the company,

“After careful consideration, we are closing some stores in locations that have experienced a high volume of challenging incidents that make it unsafe to continue to operate, to open new locations with safer conditions.”

And by “challenging incidents,” they mean illegal drug use, homelessness, and violent and petty crime, all permitted by so-called “progressive” policies pushed by Democrat leadership in these cities. But they don’t want to say it outright because it reflects poorly on the Democrat politicians and policies that have destroyed Big Blue cities across the nation, which are also the Democrat politicians and policies Starbucks generally supports. It’s a tough spot for a woke progressive company to be in.

The locations that are closing are:

• Santa Monica & Westmount, West Hollywood, California
• Hollywood & Western, Los Angeles, California
• 1st & Los Angeles (Doubletree), Los Angeles, California
• Hollywood & Vine, Hollywood, California
• Ocean Front Walk & Moss, Santa Monica, California
• 2nd & San Pedro, Los Angeles, California
• 10th & Chestnut, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 4th & Morrison, Portland, Oregon
• Gateway, Portland, Oregon
• 23rd & Jackson, Seattle, Washington
• Roosevelt Square, Seattle, Washington
• E. Olive Way, Seattle, Washington
• 505 Union Stn, Seattle, Washington
• Westlake Center, Seattle, Washington
• Hwy 99 & Airport Rd, Everett, Washington
• Union Station Train Concourse, Washington, DC

Does it surprise you at all that Seattle, Portland, LA, Philly, and DC, all squalid and crime-riddled Democrat cities, are the bulk of the list? Seattle news explained that the “safety concerns” they allude to are “crime, assaults, theft, [and] drug use.”

Philadelphia news likewise explained how the increase in crime, in addition to Starbucks own progressive policy for facility use, is to blame for the store closure.

And LA news explained that corporate was receiving reports of illegal drug use on Starbucks property, endangering employees and customers.

According to Townhall,

“The Union Station location in the nation’s capital is a main commuter hub for congressional staffers and just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol Building. But that location, like the others, has seen full-blown homeless encampments, rampant drug use in broad daylight, and frequent harassment of travelers and employees. “

And while Starbucks, which is second only to McDonalds as the largest chain restaurant, can afford to close down 16 popular locations in major cities and then open locations in other less dangerous places, small businesses suffering in those same squalid cities do not have that luxury. Democrat politicians and policies that are destroying Big Blue cities are also forcing small businesses to close in the face of undeterred violent and petty crime, prolific drug use, and rampant homelessness that destroys business profitability and endangers both employees and customers. I mean, check out this video of Philly, one of the places Starbucks is leaving. Who would want to have a business here? Not Starbucks. . .

The same is true for the citizens living in these squalid third-world cities. While wealthier citizens can afford to move away from the neighborhoods they voted to destroy, less financially stable citizens are left with no choice but to endure the filth and danger left behind by those privileged enough to destroy a city and then leave. A poignant example of this is a recent video showing what San Francisco children endure on a daily basis. It’s so tragic, especially considering that Nancy Pelosi probably wouldn’t be caught dead anywhere near this, despite being San Francisco’s representative and one of the most powerful Democrat politicians in the country. Watch until he turns around the camera.

A major part of the problem is that the narrative is prioritized above the actual safety and success of the community. This is evidenced by Starbucks corporate being unwilling to come straight out and say exactly what’s forcing them out of these particular locations. They support Democrat narratives, agendas, politicians, and policies, but they don’t want to explain that it’s these exact progressive justice policies endangering employees and customers in their cafes. They don’t want to explain that progressive social agendas that turn a blind eye to rampant drug abuse and homelessness create a dangerously filthy environment that dissuades customers from visiting cafes in those locations and endangers those willing to brave the filth. Rather than explaining those things, which would reflect poorly on the very social and political priorities Starbucks generally champions, they say simply that those stores “experienced a high volume of challenging incidents.” Because the narrative, despite proving to lead to abject failure, must be protected at all costs.