Starbucks announced it's closing another 600 stores including nine in Colorado.

Some $12,000 workers in 44 states will loose their jobs.

Colorado closures include three stores in Denver, one in Broomfield, Longmont, Conifer and Lakewood and two in Loveland.

There are no plans to close the Starbucks stores in Grand Junction.

The stores are expected to close by the first half of 2009.

The Seattle–based company has said cutbacks reflect a difficult economic environment in which rising gas prices and unemployment have people cutting back on non–essentials like premium coffee.