Starbucks to shut over 8,000 stores in US

Washington DC [United States], April 18 (ANI): Coffeehouse chain Starbucks has announced to shut its over 8,000 stores in the United States (US) for one day to conduct anti-bias training.

Starbucks will close the stores May 29 to offer the training to 175,000 employees, reported the New York Times.

The announcement follows a furore over the arrest of two African-American men at a Philadelphia Starbucks last week.

The two men entered the Starbucks on Thursday and asked to use to the bathroom. An employee told them it was only for paying customers.

The Police was called reportedly by the manager when the two men sat in the store without placing the order

When they then sat in the store without ordering anything, the manager called police, and the men were arrested for trespassing. However, no charges have been filed.

"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," the company's chief executive Kevin R. Johnson, said in a statement announcing the training.

"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," the statement added.

The employee who called the police is no longer employed by Starbucks, according to the reports. (ANI)