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
Closure in Moscow a renewed flurry of activity for the band. After signing with new management The Bird's Robe Collective, they toured nationally as support for Coheed and Cambria in May, then followed by joining The Fall of Troy on their first Australian tour in eight years. In 2017, the band returned from writing sessions to play shows with Protest The Hero, before announcing they would premiere new material live on tour with Danish dream pop group MEW in September. The shows with MEW would also mark Closure in Moscow's first Perth show in four years. In September, the band were announced as