Back in September, we reported on a fresh round of Starbucks closures across Metro Vancouver.
Now, a Canadian coffee brand says it wants to fill those gaps.
Calgary-based Good Earth Coffeehouse has announced it is pursuing vacant Starbucks units across the country, with a specific focus on the BC Lower Mainland, Toronto, southwestern Ontario, and Halifax.
In Metro Vancouver alone, 8 Starbucks have shut down.
The company says the recent Starbucks closures have created a window to reintroduce community-minded cafés to streets that just lost one.
As founder and CEO Michael Going put it, “We are stepping up to serve communities,” adding that the human interaction in their cafés is as important as the ethically sourced coffee and fresh food they pour.
The company frames the effort as an opportunity both for the brand and for local operators.
Good Earth says its cafés emphasize responsibly sourced coffee, house-made food, and neighbourhood programming, aiming to attract guests and franchisees who value social and environmental responsibility.
Founded in 1991, the Canadian company has grown to more than 50 locations from Vancouver Island to the Maritimes and remains focused on what it calls a welcoming, everyday coffeehouse experience.
For Metro Vancouver, this push could mean several former Starbucks storefronts return to life rather than sit empty.
We will keep an eye on which closed sites in the region are first to be converted and when doors are expected to open.
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