Starbucks Starbucks, along with its partner Delek Group of Israel, closed all six of its locations in Israel, citing "on-going operational challenges" and a "difficult business environment." The Starbucks location in the former imperial palace in Beijing closed in July 2007. The coffee shop had been a source of ongoing controversy since its opening in 2000 with protesters objecting that the presence of the American chain in this location "was trampling on Chinese culture." In July 2008, the company announced it was closing 600 underperforming company-owned stores and cutting U.S. expansion plans amid growing economic uncertainty. On July 29, 2008, Starbucks
Zen (department store) at Joy City. In 2013, CRC announced the closure of ZEN department store in China. Zen (department store) ZEN Department Store (Thai: เซน ดีพาร์ทเมนท์ สโตร์; Simplified Chinese: 先; Pinyin: Xiān) is an upmarket Thai department store chain with branches in Thailand and China, which is owned by Central Group. The upmarket department store chain ZEN was established in 1990 with its first branch as one of the anchors of the World Trade Center in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok. Now named CentralWorld, the shopping center underwent major renovations in 2006, was destroyed in a fire on May 19, 2010, and was