> By the way this isn't true in California: by law all stored value and store-credit cards last for 10 years and can be cashed out.

Correction: cannot have any expiration date (not “lasts for 10 years”), service/dormancy fee, and (if purchased after 2007) must be permitted to be cashed out if the remaining balance is under $10.

https://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/legal_guides/s_11.shtml

They are only required by law to cash out gift cards with a balance of less than $10.

[edit]

Source: https://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/legal_guides/s_11.shtml

Only for gift cards under $10 IIRC

But how does one cash them out?

You go to any Starbucks and ask the person operating the register to cash you out. They push the button designed to facilitate this.