Things haven’t been so great for Starbucks in Malaysia, especially with the ongoing boycott. After closing several stores across the country, there are rumours that the coffee chain is closing yet another branch at an iconic location.
Recently, a post on XiaoHongShu pointed out that the Starbucks outlet at ANSA Bukit Bintang suddenly closed its doors. In the photo posted, the storefront appeared to be boarded up both outside and inside the building. However, there is no signage to indicate whether the store is closed or merely under renovation. Additionally, a search of the store online hints that it’s still operating as usual.
The XiaoHongShu post also gave little details about the situation, only noting that the store is closed to the public. Regardless, the post garnered netizens’ attention, who chimed in on the situation. While there is no direct answer as to whether the store has officially ceased operations, some netizens pointed out that Starbucks has recently closed down many outlets due to poor sales.
Others also speculated that the store’s lease at the building may have ended, and the brand chose not to renew. Some also noted the other Starbucks outlets nearby, notably at the WOLO Hotel and inside Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, so closing one outlet within the “Golden Triangle” wouldn’t make much difference. However, one comment claimed that the closure is only temporary to facilitate renovation works.
The Starbucks outlet at ANSA Hotel opened its doors in 2015 and is the 200th Starbucks store in Malaysia. Given its location within the Bintang Walk, it’s also one of the more popular stores in the area. However, given the recent public boycott, it wouldn’t be surprising if the store faced declining sales. Starbucks Malaysia has also been closing many stores in recent months, even one earlier this May.
As of writing, Starbucks Malaysia has yet to address any closure, so we can assume that the store will return to operations soon. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think this is just temporary? Or is the store gone for good?
Source: XiaoHongShu
