Orlando Sentinel

Sales begin at several closing Tuesday Morning locations

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Sales have begun at Tuesday Morning stores that are closing in Apopka, Kissimmee and Daytona Beach as the company seeks Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection because of the coronaviru­s pandemic.

The stores are at 3030 E. Semoran Blvd. in Apopka, 2003 W. Osceola Parkway in the Loop West shopping center in Kissimmee, and in Daytona Beach at both 2435 N. Atlantic Ave. and 1115 Cornerston­e Blvd. in Tomoka Town Center.

The off-price retailer announced in May it was planning to close about 230 of its 687 stores over the summer.

“Prior to the pandemic, we were gaining momentum in our merchant organizati­on, growing our vendor base and improving brands, assortment and value for our customers, while investing in our technology and corporate leadership team,” CEO Steve Becker said in a news release. “However, the complete halt of store operations for two months put the Company in a financial position that can be effectivel­y addressed only through a reorganiza­tion in Chapter 11.”

Tuesday Morning has other stores in Winter Park, Lady Lake, DeLand and Ormond Beach.

Starbucks plans to close as many as 400 company-operated stores in the next 18 months, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission document.

The document did not include a list of potential store closures, but did say Starbucks typically closes about 100 stores each year in the Americas. The coffee company plans to add 300 new locations in the region during the 2020 fiscal year, down from a previously expected 600.

The closures are taking place “in conjunctio­n with the opening, over time, of a greater number of new, reposition­ed stores in different locations and with innovative store formats, yielding a U.S. portfolio that is optimized to enhance the customer experience, expand our retail presence and enable profitable growth for the future,” the document states.

One new Starbucks is under constructi­on at East Colonial Drive and North Fern Creek Avenue in Orlando, the previous home of the Ice Cold

Auto Repair shop.

Starbucks, which has 32,000 locations globally, said in a Wednesday news release it was accelerati­ng the transforma­tion of its stores in the United States due to coronaviru­s and changing customer needs.

The company plans to increase drive-through and curbside pickup options. A separate counter for mobile orders will be added to certain high volume stores.

It is also expanding its “Starbucks Pickup” store format, which caters to customers ordering ahead on the Starbucks App and picking up on their way to other places in markets like New York City and Chicago.

“As we navigate through the COVID-19 crisis, we are accelerati­ng our store transforma­tion plans to address the realities of the current situation, while still providing a safe, familiar and convenient experience for

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