After opening in 2025, the coffee shop is slated to close as part of Starbucks’ North American restructuring. Mayor Todd Nock says city staff have begun exploring potential replacements.
Pocomoke City’s Starbucks location, which opened its doors in May 2025, is slated to close as part of a broader company decision affecting coffeehouses across North America. Mayor Todd J. Nock says the city has already begun exploring potential businesses for the property, though its future availability remains uncertain. In a public statement, Nock expressed disappointment over the closure and said the city’s focus must now turn to finding a new use for the highly visible commercial property.
“One of the biggest mistakes a community can make is allowing a commercial building, especially a newer and highly visible one, to sit vacant,” Nock wrote.
According to the mayor, the city’s Economic Development team and staff have begun identifying businesses that could be a good fit for the location.
However, several questions remain unanswered. Nock said the city does not yet know whether the building will be offered for sale, made available for lease, or what the property owner’s plans will be. Those conversations will need to take place before the city can determine what opportunities may exist for the site.
From Announcement to Opening
Starbucks’ arrival in Pocomoke City was first reported by the Arrowhead in November 2023, when the project was still moving through design and approvals. At the time, developer Brent Reed of Reed Ventures told the Arrowhead that the project was expected to bring a new option for quick-service coffee to the local market. Reed Ventures, a Delaware-based developer, had identified an opportunity for a coffee shop serving both local residents and travelers along Route 13.
The original announcement anticipated an opening in 2024, although a change in the building’s orientation added months to the development timeline. Starbucks officially opened in May 2025, offering its coffee, tea and seasonal beverages to Pocomoke City local customers and travelers.
Less than a year and a half later, its announced closure raises new questions about the future of the property.
Starbucks Announces North American Closures
The Pocomoke closure comes amid a broader restructuring of Starbucks’ North American operations. In a September 24, 2026, letter to employees, Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams announced that the company planned to close approximately 250 coffeehouses later that week. According to Grams, the closures represent approximately 1% of the company’s more than 18,000 coffeehouses across North America.
Grams said the company reviewed its North American locations and identified coffeehouses where it did not believe it could consistently deliver the desired customer and employee experience or achieve acceptable financial performance. The announcement is part of the company’s “Back to Starbucks” strategy, which Grams said focuses on improving the coffeehouse experience and operational performance.
The company also said it intends to continue pursuing long-term growth in North America, including developing additional locations. Its letter stated that affected employees would be offered transfer opportunities where possible, with severance support for employees who could not be placed at another coffeehouse.
The letter does not specifically identify the Pocomoke City location or explain the individual circumstances behind its selection for closure.
City to Examine Access and Traffic Patterns
Beyond identifying a potential replacement business, Nock said the closure presents an opportunity to examine how highway access and traffic patterns affect commercial development in Pocomoke City.
The mayor said the city’s Planning Department will evaluate highway access, visibility, traffic patterns and how easily motorists traveling along Route 13 can reach local businesses. These considerations will form part of the city’s broader economic development efforts as staff assess the property’s future possibilities.
Nock acknowledged that the city cannot control every business decision but emphasized the importance of responding quickly and deliberately when opportunities arise.
“The work to determine what’s next has already started,” he wrote.
What Comes Next?
For now, the property’s future remains uncertain. City staff have begun exploring potential business interest, but no replacement tenant has been announced, and the property’s availability has not been established.
The site’s visibility along Route 13 could make it a consideration for businesses seeking access to both local customers and highway travelers. However, any future use will depend on the property owner’s plans and the circumstances surrounding a potential sale or lease.
Nock also offered his thanks to the employees of the Pocomoke Starbucks, wishing them well as they navigate the closure.
