New York (CNN Business) Starbucks is pivoting hundreds of North American stores away from the cafe model it helped make ubiquitous and will expand its pickup-only and to-go business — a strategy shift that illustrates how much consumer behavior has changed during the pandemic. The company said it plans to close up to 400 stores in the US and Canada over the next 18 months, while at the same time adding carryout and pick-up only locations. In its latest SEC filing , the company said it ultimately expects to open about 300 new North American stores that specialize in carryout and pickup options. Starbucks said its retail strategy is designed to "enhance the customer experience, expand our retail presence and enable profitable growth for the future." A person wearing a protective mask rides a scooter past a temporarily closed Starbucks coffeeshop in Brooklyn, NY, on April 27, 2020.

Source: CNN June 10, 2020 20:03 UTC