Many Starbucks locations will close on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. local time to allow for employees to participate in racial-bias education.
All Starbucks company-owned retail stores and corporate offices will be closed in the afternoon of Tuesday, May 29. Franchised locations are not participating in Tuesday's training.
The training was announced last month after a store manager called police to forcibly remove two African-Americans for loitering. The incident drew criticism and calls for boycott against Starbucks.
"The company's founding values are based on humanity and inclusion," said executive chairman Howard Schultz, who joined Johnson and other senior Starbucks leaders in Philadelphia to meet with community leaders and Starbucks partners. "We will learn from our mistakes and reaffirm our commitment to creating a safe and welcoming environment for every customer."
Starbucks has updated its store hours online. To see if your local Starbucks will be closed Tuesday afternoon, click here.
