ORLANDO, Fla. -- Florida may be hit especially hard by store closures and cuts at Starbucks. The coffee giant announced plans Tuesday to close 600 stores nationwide, slashing about 12,000 jobs. Central Florida's slumping housing market may make it a target.

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VIDEO REPORT: Starbucks Closures May Hit Central Fla. Hard

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Experts believe many of the job cuts and closings could come from the 100-plus locations in Central Florida area.

"I'm so depressed. Personally, I'm probably partially responsible for it, because I used to do Starbucks a lot and now I've had to cut back," said customer Eilleen Antonescu.

Starbucks' biggest national problem is lower-priced competitors, like McDonalds, offering similar coffees. But analysts say the company over-expanded in Central Florida, as well. In the Mall of Millenia area, for example, three Starbucks locations lie within walking distance of one another.

"Companies, when they think they've turned onto something big, they over do it. They don't know how to cut back, how to take it slowly," Antonescu said.

On top of that, when housing was booming in our area new Starbucks flooded in, catering to owners in new developments. With the bust we're enduring now, their customer base has shrunk.

"We have a kinda funny saying about Starbucks. Instead of Starbucks, it's fivebucks, when you're going to pay five bucks for a cup of coffee," said customer Jay Pecotte.

Then there's the issue of gas prices. A 16-ounce Starbucks caramel macchiato will set you back exactly $4 with tax, almost exactly what you'd pay for a full gallon of gas.

But at the Starbucks on Kirkman Road, lines remain long and the company has recently opened new stores in the area.

Customer say, in these times, fewer stores may mean fewer visits, but none of the regulars Eyewitness News talked to plan to cut it out altogether.

Starbucks said they haven't made a final decision on which stores will close, but they do say it will be mostly newer locations that opened after 2oo6. The closures are set to begin within a month.

The tough economic times are hitting restaurants in Central Florida especially hard. Seventeen area Church's Chicken locations are being auctioned off because of a bankruptcy. Donatos has also closed all seven of its area locations. In addition, the company that owns Bennigans, Steak and Ale, and Ponderosas is planning to sell more than a dozen area locations.