Thanks to two people who e-mailed us in the past several hours that they’d heard Jefferson Square Starbucks has an official closing date (we had first word in July that it was on the Starbucks shutdown list) – we have just received confirmation from a PR firm working with SBUX (though they won’t get any more specific than “end of October”; if it’s really 11/7, that would be a few days short of what would have been the store’s 1-year anniversary, since it opened 11/9/07). Read on for the full statement we received (it’s mostly boilerplate but we always like to share the whole thing so you can read it for yourself if you so choose):

My name is Nathan Hambley and I am with Frause, the local PR agency that
works with Starbucks in Seattle. Thank you for your inquiry regarding the closure of the Starbucks at 42nd and SW Alaska. The store will unfortunately close at the end of October.

As you probably know, store closures began in July 2008 and will continue through March 2009. The timing of specific store closures depends upon a number of factors and we will not be able to confirm an exact date for this particular store at this time. Individual stores are always notified by their district manager and/or regional director prior to the closure date.

In January, Starbucks committed to transforming the company through a series of initiatives that would improve the current state of U.S. business, reignite the emotional attachment with customers, and build the business for the long term. Over the last several months, Starbucks executive and field leadership teams conducted an extensive review of business with a goal of enhancing operating efficiency, improving customer satisfaction and ensuring long-term value for partners, customers and shareholders.

The executive and field leadership teams used several criteria to identify stores for closure. These included stores that were not profitable at the store level and stores that the company projected would not provide acceptable returns in the foreseeable future. Several other factors beyond a strict financial calculation were considered when evaluating stores for closures. In some cases there may have been a variety of factors, that when combined resulted in selecting one store versus another in a given area. Much thought and consideration was given to each location, because every closure has an impact on store partners, customers and the surrounding community.

On average, each store has about 20 full-time and part-time positions. Throughout the history of Starbucks, the company has always strived to put its people first. This makes the decision to close stores more difficult, because it disrupts the lives of the people who have worked so hard to deliver superior service to customers. Starbucks has sincerely thanked each one of them. At the same time, the company recognizes the necessity of making decisions that will strengthen the U.S. store portfolio and enable sound financial progress into fiscal 2009. Some of the areas that are receiving attention are: operating efficiency; improving customer satisfaction; and ensuring long-term value for partners, customers, and shareholders. Starbucks expects to place many of the affected partners into available positions at nearby Starbucks stores. Those partners who are not offered a comparable position within a reasonable distance of their current location will be offered a severance payment to aid in their transition. All affected partners – including full-time and part-time – are eligible for severance based on job title and current pay rate.

The Starbucks stores scheduled for closure are company-operated. Licensed stores were not part of this review.

The full list of Starbucks store closures nationwide is here; this was the only one in West Seattle to make that list.