Cars usually are snaked around the Oleander Starbucks all day, with the inside of the popular location busy, too. This week, however, the parking lot at Oleander Drive and Independence Boulevard has been eerily empty. 

According to a Starbucks spokesperson, an employee (Starbucks uses “partners”) at the restaurant recently tested positive for COVID-19 and the store has been temporarily closed for the safety of workers and customers alike. The store is expected to reopen Thursday, Feb. 3.

“When we learn a partner has been diagnosed with or was exposed to COVID-19 (including certain qualifying exposures outside of work), we activate our protocols which includes providing catastrophe pay so our partners can stay home and self-isolate,” the spokesperson said. “The safety and wellbeing of our partners and communities has and will continue to be our top priority as we navigate COVID-19.”

Starbucks operates 20 cafes in the greater Wilmington area, including locations inside other businesses. Although signs announcing temporary hours appeared over the weekend at several other Starbucks locations, they were related to the winter weather that moved through the area. The spokesperson recommended customers use the Starbucks app to double-check hours of operation.

Being able to grab a barista-crafted latte or frappuccino in the mornings has been, at times, one of the few-remaining luxuries during the pandemic. For Wilmington-based Port City Java (PCJ), continuing to provide that service has been a balancing act. PCJ has 17 stores in the Wilmington area and six in Raleigh.

“Our teams at Port City Java have been continually pivoting various challenges such as limited staffing and supply shortages, much like other businesses at this time,” said Amber Fowler, director of marketing. “These factors have greatly affected our café hours of operation, product availability, and even speed of service at times.”

Fowler said that café hours are always a store-by-store decision, with the goal of balancing customer demand with staff availability.

“We want to make the best decisions for the most people in our organization,” she said.

Fowler said that PCJ has implemented stronger internal communications to ensure its online platforms have the most up-to-date information.

To address staffing issues, Fowler said PCJ has renewed its efforts to offer more-competitive wages, increase retention and provide more employee support in general.

That includes “taking a closer look at our culture and values and exploring ways to be a more welcoming and inclusive workplace” Fowler said.

Drift, another locally-based coffee shop, has mostly been able to stick to its regular operating hours, said Mariah Mercado, a barista at Drift’s Mayfaire location.

“The inside was closed at times when the pandemic first started, but it’s business as usual now,” she said.