Starbucks closing 9 Bay-area stores

Nine Starbucks stores in the Bay area will be closing in the coming months, including stores in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Bradenton, Lakeland and Sarasota.

will be closing in the coming months, including stores in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Bradenton, Lakeland and Sarasota.The Seattle-based coffee maker has released the names and locations of the nearly 600 stores nationwide. It plans to close the stores by the middle of next year.Starbucks previously announced it would be closing the stores because of the slowdown of the economy. Thursday, the store released a list of stores it plans to close. About 60 stores in Florida are named.Here are the locations of the Bay-area stores that are closing:13811 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa

2164 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa

8021 Citrus Park Town Cntr., Tampa

27001 U.S. Hwy. 19 N, Clearwater

904 McMullen Booth Rd., Clearwater

303 U.S. Hwy. 301 Blvd. W, Bradenton

3800 U.S. Hwy. 98 N, Lakeland

8201 S. Tamiami Trl., SarasotaEmployees at the store on McMullen Booth Road in Clearwater had not heard the news on Friday Morning. They did say business at their location had been slow for sometime. They knew their store had been on the chopping block, but as of Friday morning did not know how the store's expected closure would affect their employment.To search the complete list of Starbucks stores that will close, click here./>