Caribou Lovers ‘Dislike,’ Air Grievances Online

While Caribou Coffee is planning to shutter some stores and reopen others as Peet’s Coffee & Tea, customers across the country are commiserating online about the loss of their Biscotti Mochas and Café Milan Lattes.

Some were vocal about closings; others didn't want to see a changeover to Peet's.

The company, in the meantime, is trying to minimalize negativity. The store’s Facebook page began deleting comments but postings today remain, primarily sympathizing with those who are losing their jobs.

One “friend,” Jim Skinner, took offense to an April 8 posting promoting the stores breakfast items.

“Out of respect for the employees who are losing their jobs the least you could do is stop these posts,” Skinner wrote. “No one cares about your promotions. We care about the friends we have made who no longer have a paycheck. Please stop the updates.”

Locally, the Avon Caribou Coffee will close and re-open as a Peet’s location, but the Westlake store will close on April 14.

After word leaked out that some stores would be closing permanently on April 14, other less supportive Facebook sites began popping up, including this one, which called for a boycott of the coffee.

One site, Caribou Coffee Memories asked supporter to share memories, but no negative comments.

The company, however, said the move was part of their business strategy.

Mike Tattersfield, president and CEO of Caribou Coffee, released information via the company’s public relations team.

"Over the past few months, we at Caribou have revisited our business strategy, including closely evaluating our performance by market to make decisions that best position us for long-term growth,” Mike Tattersfield, president and CEO of Caribou Coffee, said via his public relations team. “With that, we will be closing 80 underperforming stores on April 14.

Tattersfield said an additional 88 coffeehouses across Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Illinois and Eastern Wisconsin will be converted to Peet’s Coffee & Tea locations over the next 12 to 18 months.

“Going forward, Caribou Coffee will be made up of 468 locations across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Western Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Denver, and 10 international markets. While the decisions we’ve made have been difficult for our team in Minneapolis, as well as our team members across the country and our guests and fans everywhere, we are working to make this transition as seamless as possible for the Caribou community.”

The company said anyone with questions can call 888-CARIBOU.

How do you feel about Caribou's closings and rebranding? Tell us in the comments.