Starbucks is Closing Their Smallest (And Quickest) Location in Michigan

One of the smallest Starbucks locations in Michigan is getting the axe.

The Seattle-based coffee chain announced this week that it will “sunset” its Pickup-only store concept starting in fiscal 2026. That means dozens of minimalist Starbucks locations across the US (which were made just for grab-and-go orders) will be closed entirely or converted into traditional cafes.

CEO Brian Niccol broke the news during a July 29 earnings call, saying the model was “overly transactional and lacking the warmth and human connection that defines our brand.”

What Is a Starbucks Pickup Store?

First introduced in New York in 2019, Starbucks Pickup was intended to streamline the coffee experience. Customers would place their order on the app, walk in, grab their drink from the counter, and leave. No seating, no long lines, and very little human interaction.

Roughly 80 to 90 of these locations exist nationwide, including in airports, hospitals, and downtown business districts.

One of those is the tiny Starbucks tucked inside Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids.

Opened as a convenience hub in the heart of the city’s entertainment district, the location offers no seating, no café space, and no drive-thru. So if you want to order there, you have to do it via their app (which kept me from stopping several times, out of pure laziness.)

While Starbucks hasn’t commented on the fate of individual stores, the Grand Rapids Pickup location is expected to close under the new corporate strategy. It’s unclear whether it will be shuttered permanently or converted into a traditional café.

For now, coffee lovers in Grand Rapids still have plenty of other options, but the smallest Starbucks (which was built for speed over community) won’t be sticking around much longer.