Three years after purchasing the San Francisco-based pastry company, Starbucks now plans to close its 23 La Boulange café locations by the end of September. Starbucks claims the bakery is not sustainable for the company's long-term growth, but will continue to sell La Boulange food-- the pastry offerings such as muffins, croissants, and cakes (oh my!) have been instrumental in increasing Starbucks' sales by 16% in the most recent quarter. AdWeek speculates that Starbucks simply bought the company to improve their own recipes, with no intention of continuing the brand, and increased sales simply indicate the sageness of this strategy.
Starbucks to close La Boulange stores
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By Nina Selipsky
Nina Selipsky is an editorial intern at Crosscut. She is a senior at Lakeside School in Seattle, where she is an editor and writer for the school newspaper. Nina spent last summer working with a non-p
Nina Selipsky is an editorial intern at Crosscut. She is a senior at Lakeside School in Seattle, where she is an editor and writer for the school newspaper. Nina spent last summer working with a non-p