Grab and go: Studio City Starbucks switches to takeaway only

By Jasmine Viel

May 25, 2023 / 5:11 PM / KCAL News

Customers at the Starbucks on Vineland Avenue and Ventura Boulevard can no longer sip on their coffee inside the shop.

"The baristas here have been harassed and otherwise confronted," said regular customer Devlin Wilder.

While it's unclear what exactly prompted the change, a large area inside the cafe remains roped off and empty. Starbucks said in a statement their "first priority is to make sure our partners are safe at work."

"Our local leaders are, and have always been, empowered to use the many resources at their disposal to modify store operations and create the best experience for our communities," the company said in a statement.

Alec Poladian, the owner of the nearby Roxy Cleaners, said he is glad Starbucks made the change, along with the increased security, because it's helping deter thieves at his business.

"It's been a lot less," said Poladian. "We don't anything clean in the front anymore because they will walk in and steal it."

The move comes after six other Starbucks locations across Southern California closed because of theft and safety concerns last year. While the Studio City location remains open, executives pointed to rising drug use and a growing mental health crisis as the reason for the changes.

"The reason our team has worked so hard to house people at encampments in the district is because I simply do not accpeet that our workers and business owners should be left to manage this crisis on their own," said Councilwoman Nithya Raman.

Jasmine Viel is an award winning news anchor and reporter who has spent more than a decade working in TV on the West Coast.

First published on May 25, 2023 / 5:11 PM