Starbucks stores suddenly shut down

Thousands of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Starbucks fans could not get their morning latte on Wednesday.

And that may explain why some of your co-workers seemed unusually grumpy when they got to work.

One woman at the Rookwood Pavilion Starbucks in the Norwood/Hyde Park area told 9 News "this is my worst day ever!"

Water Filter Issue

Starbucks ordered most of its Cincinnati area stores shut down just after 7 a.m., after discovering a problem with some water filters used to filter the water in all its fresh-brewed coffee.

News reports from around the country report other Starbucks shutdowns, in areas from New Jersey to Florida as well.

The Ohio News Network quotes a Starbucks spokesperson as saying "a small number of stores closed Wednesday morning to continue preventative maintenance on water filtration systems which began overnight." The spokesman says there were no safety or contamination issues.

Managers posted signs outside the stores explaining that a "maintenance issue" was responsible, but told baffled and upset customers that filters had to be inspected and cleared for use before they could reopen.

Some stores reopened by 10 a.m., but others said it could take a few more hours.