Seattle

it's a franchise. When too many open in one spot it's because starbucks granted the licences. The actual shops are operated by the shop owners, paying to use the starbucks brand.

Starbucks itself doesn't care that many of its shops are in direct competition of "their own" shops. That's the franchisee's problem, not theirs. They get paid by all shops regardless.

I remember once I was at a Starbucks downtown and asked where the restroom was. I passed another Starbucks on the way to the restroom.

Keep in mind — this is KOMO News, who regularly pushes the “crime” narrative as a political policy, independent of whether it’s accurate or not.