During the fifth week of the semester, the on-campus Starbucks in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union closed its doors for two weeks after employees tested positive for COVID-19.

On Sept. 22, BGSU Dining services were made aware that one student employee tested positive for COVID-19. Director of BGSU Dining Mike Paulus said dining services took immediate action.

“After reviewing schedules to facilitate contact tracing and associate awareness, it was determined that those associates whom could have been exposed was substantial due to the varied shifts that the affected associate worked leading up to the positive diagnosis,” Paulus said. 

At 3:15 p.m. BGSU Dining decided to close down Starbucks operations due to the amount of students and staff who were potentially exposed. On Sept. 22, the close was determined to be temporary as only 30% of the staff was affected. 

However, on Sept. 24, the closure was extended until Oct. 5 when BGSU Dining tweeted that, “ … the Starbucks in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union will close, effective immediately, after three additional Starbucks team members tested positive for COVID-19.”

In a reply to the tweet, BGSU Dining said, “Contact tracers with the Wood County Health Department are in the process of notifying individuals who may have been exposed.”  

Starbucks is in full compliance with all COVID-19 operating procedures recommended by CDC, Wood County Health and the office of public safety at BGSU. The closure of Starbucks was the first dining service to be closed on campus this semester.

“BGSU Dining chose to close Starbucks due the number of associates that could have been exposed and required quarantine due to three associates whom tested positive.” Paulus said. “Starbucks could not effectively operate due the number of associates who were then required to quarantine for 14 days.”