Fences went up around “The Barn,” the Starbucks on East Colfax and Milwaukee Street that unionized in 2022, sometime in the last few weeks, prompting questions about the future of the store.
Turns out, the store should be reopening — we just don’t know when.
A Starbucks representative told Denverite that the location is closed for internal renovations, but declined to comment on the timeline for reopening.
The national corporate coffee giant found itself in hot water in federal court after a National Labor Relations Board judge ruled in February 2023 that Starbucks engaged in unfair labor practices at the Colfax and Milwaukee location.
The company was found to have illegally interrogated an employee who supported the union, threatened other employees, and unfairly terminated Trey Slopsema, a worker at the location.
Starbucks Workers United said it does not plan to file any unfair labor practice charges in relation to the temporary closure.
Unionized Starbucks in Denver
The East Colfax Starbucks is one of a handful of Colorado stores that have unionized across the United States following a collective bargaining blitz that started at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Denver, there are six unionized Starbucks.
The newest unionized location on Colfax and Ivy announced its victory on Friday. The store voted 11-5 to join Starbucks Workers United. Initial contract discussions have taken place with union representatives and Starbucks to create a “foundational framework for store contracts.”
