This is NOT how the new Amsterdam Starbucks will look. Courtesy of Flickr Contributor Amsterdam Asp Despite closing stores all over the world, Starbucks announced today they'll be opening their first non-airport store in Amsterdam in 2009. Sadly, the mermaid has decided not to go the traditional Amsterdam coffee shop route, which means no Purple Haze with your Frappucino, folks. Starbucks' official reason for not allowing its patrons in the Netherlands to smoke a bowl......

Things are not well in the land of the mermaid and her coffee empire. Starbucks announced a huge round of layoffs and store closures this afternoon. The coffee giant will be closing 600 stores nationwide and laying off 12,000 of its store employees. The 12,000 layoffs equal about 7% of Starbucks global work force. The layoffs and closures will occur between now and March 2009. No word yet if any local stores will be......