On October 2nd, 2025, Northwood students lost their favorite coffee and study spot when the Lake Placid Starbucks closed its doors for the last time.
The closure follows an internal review by the company as it seeks to reshape itself and realign its corporate goals. “Our goal is for every coffeehouse to deliver a warm and welcoming space with a great atmosphere and a seat for every occasion,” said Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol in an announcement made on September 25th, 2025. He went on to say, “During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed…Partners in coffeehouses scheduled to close will be notified this week.”
The Lake Placid Starbucks was one such location.
A note is left on the front door of the Starbucks in Lake Placid, letting potential customers know that the shop is now closed. (Adirondack Daily Enterprise photo by Chris Gaige)
Employees were given 3-day notice before the final closure on October 2nd. Many were left scrambling for jobs on short notice.
The students were also given short notice. In a 3-day period, a beloved staple of the Northwood experience was taken away.
“I used to go there to study. It was a comfortable environment, and it was easy to focus,” Anja Robertson ‘26 said. “It was a good escape from campus. I haven’t really found a replacement for it yet. I also used to go for walks around the lake and stop at Starbucks. Now I have less motivation [to walk the lake].”
Riley Ward ‘27, who was at a ski camp in Chile when news of Starbucks’ closing came, said, “I was very shocked; it was my favorite coffee place in town. I get my chai from Origin or Big Mountain Deli and Creperie now.”
Overall, students miss their coffee shop, but Lake Placid does have alternatives. Local businesses like Origin, Capisce, and the Big Mountain Deli and Creperie now don’t have to compete with a global chain for customers. One common criticism is that the local shops don’t have the same consistent hours and days open as Starbucks did; however, now the local shops may be incentivized to change that to capitalize on a less competitive market.
