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Starbucks To Take Coffee Break

Tribune photo by KELVIN MA

The Hyde Park Starbucks location on Howard Avenue had signs posted on Feb. 25, 2008, informing customers of their upcoming training session that will close the store for 4 hours.

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By GRETCHEN PARKER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 25, 2008

Updated: 02/25/2008 11:40 pm

TAMPA (and almost every other town in America) - When you pull on the door and it's locked, don't panic.

The ache in your head — wicked withdrawal from the caffeine crack — will worsen for a moment. It will wrap its junkie's tentacles around your noggin and tighten ever so slowly, as the air starts to go out of you.

But before everything goes dark, you'll notice the sign.

Sweet relief.

Starbucks will open again soon.

Stores nationwide are closing for three hours tonight, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for employee training. Some are closing a bit earlier, to set up for it.

Starbucks' corporate headquarters in Seattle wouldn't say how much money they'll be losing in those hours. Or how many cups they usually sell. Or how many customers they'll be turning away.

But they do want you to know it's a "tremendous investment" in perfecting the perfect shot of espresso, a corporate spokeswoman said.

It's all part of the overhaul by returning CEO Howard Schultz, as he points the focus back toward the core of the business.

So they're asking you to be patient. Remain calm.

The fix, they say, will be worth it.

-Gretchen Parker

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