The location officially closed on Saturday, as part of a national wave of Starbucks closures. For many in the community, the only heads-up was a note on the door.

A statement from last Thursday by Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said the company will end the year with around 18,300 locations. When accounting for both closures and openings, this is a 1% decrease in the number of Starbucks-operated locations.

“Our goal is for every coffeehouse to deliver a warm and welcoming space with a great atmosphere and a seat for every occasion,” the statement said.

According to the statement, a review of Starbucks locations around the country identified locations that were not able to meet these standards, or where the company doesn’t “see a path to financial performance.”

The site of the now former Starbucks in Lake Placid is seen here. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

Cody Montagnola, a 2023 Lake Placid High School graduate, has been working at Lake Placid’s Starbucks location for more than a year and a half. He is currently a freshman at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, but was planning to continue working at Starbucks during his breaks at home.

He confirmed over text that the staff only found out about the closure on Thursday, two days before the location’s last day open. Montagnola estimated that the store had around 10 to 15 part and full-time employees, and that the news came as a “complete shock.”

Especially during the summer and foliage season, Montagnola said their shop always seemed to bring in a large number of customers.

“I still always felt as though we had plenty of business no matter the time of the year,” he said.

For at least the past year, Starbucks has been broadcasting a sweeping effort to rebrand and revive a community coffeehouse feel. This has been announced in numerous company statements on their website as a “Back to Starbucks” campaign.

To employees on the ground, this resulted in “frequent and drastic changes,” Montagnola said. They were encouraged to write encouraging messages on cups and to wear all black, among other changes. In his experience, this didn’t really help employees do their jobs better or more efficiently.

Marc Galvin, owner of The Bookstore Plus — which is across the street from Starbucks — said his employees loved to frequent the coffee shop, and that the Starbucks employees likewise would come to buy books. The Starbucks closure will leave a gap for Main Street shoppers.

On the other hand, there is a demand for locally owned coffee shops. Galvin said a frequent question at the bookstore is for coffee options other than Starbucks.