Starbucks In Mokena Closed Early For Racial Bias Training

MOKENA, IL — Starbucks closed more than 8,000 stores nationwide Tuesday afternoon for racial bias training. That included the Mokena store at the corner of 191st and LaGrange Road, which closed at 2:30 p.m. The Starbucks location nearby at LaGrange and Colorado Avenue in Frankfort also closed at 2:30 p.m. that day.

"For several hours this afternoon, we will close stores and offices to discuss how to make Starbucks a place where all people feel welcome," Starbucks said in a Twitter statement. "Thank you for your patience and support as we renew our promise to make Starbucks an inclusive gathering place for all. See you tomorrow."

The training is a response to the arrest of two black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks after the manager called police on them. On April 12, the manager of a Starbucks in downtown Philadelphia called police on two black men who were seated inside the store. They had not bought anything, and apparently refused to leave. The police arrested the men for loitering, which was captured in a cell phone video.

The two men, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, settled with the city of Philadelphia for just $1 each on the condition that officials establish a $200,000 program for young entrepreneurs. They reached an undisclosed financial settlement with Starbucks.

"I've spent the last few days in Philadelphia with my leadership team listening to the community, learning what we did wrong and the steps we need to take to fix it," said Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson in an April press release. "While this is not limited to Starbucks, we're committed to being a part of the solution. Closing our stores for racial bias training is just one step in a journey that requires dedication from every level of our company and partnerships in our local communities."

Patch Editor Emily Leayman contributed to this report.