Approximately 8,000 company-owned Starbucks stores will close at 2:30 p.m. Monday as employees undergo anti-bias training.
The training comes on the heels of the arrests last month of two Black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks as they sat waiting for an associate to arrive for a business meeting.
A store employee called police when the men hadn’t ordered anything. The incident, which sparked nationwide outrage, has already brought about changes at Starbucks, including more liberal use of their restrooms.
Many of the other stores, such as those at grocery locations, hotels, college campuses and airports will possibly remain open, according to the Seattle-based coffee giant.