Starbucks reports sales declines<\/p>\n
DES MOINES, United States: Starbucks Corp. said it is
\nexperiencing some sales declines in parts of Asia due to the
\noutbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.<\/p>\n
The world's largest specialty coffee retailer has closed one
\noutlet, located in a quarantined hospital in Singapore where SARS
\npatients are being treated, company spokeswoman Katherine Cheng
\ntold Dow Jones Newswires on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"As SARS is becoming more serious, we're seeing sales starting
\nto decline\" in Hong Kong and Singapore, she said. Starbucks has
\nabout three dozen stores in each of those markets.<\/p>\n
Employees in its Hong Kong outlets are wearing masks and
\ngloves while serving customers, the spokeswoman said. Government-
\nrecommended cleaning procedures are being followed there and
\nelsewhere, Cheng said.<\/p>\n
The company has had no reports of employees contracting the
\nillness, she added.<\/p>\n
Starbucks operates also stores in mainland China, but Cheng
\nsaid, \"We have not heard anything from our China markets\"
\nregarding SARS' potential impact. -- Dow Jones<\/p>",
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