Three department stores and Macy’s rivals to close in one major city amid ‘rampant crime’

A major US city loses three major department stores as retailers flee downtown.

The closures have been attributed to “rampant criminal activity”.

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WHERE ARE THE CLOSURES?

San Francisco, California is losing three major department stores in the coming months.

First, Nordstrom announced that it would permanently close its two stores.

The Nordstrom Rack Store on Market Street closes on July 1st.

The Nordstrom store in the nearby Westfield Mall will close at the end of August.

Also on Market Street, Saks Off 5th is slated to close permanently later this fall.

A few doors down, Anthropologie bids farewell on May 13 after two decades in the same place.

WHY THE FORMWORK?

Each store has given slightly different reasons for its closure, but overall, these chains agree that downtown San Francisco is no longer the best shopping destination it once was.

“The dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years,” Nordstrom’s chief stores officer wrote in an email to employees.

“GRAMMED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES‘

The chief executive said the city’s changes are “affecting customer traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.”

Meanwhile, Westfield, home of one of the affected Nordstrom businesses, has pointed the finger at “rampant criminal activity.”

Westfield stated, “Nordstrom’s proposed closure underscores the deteriorating situation in downtown San Francisco.

“A growing number of retailers and businesses are fleeing the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing the area from recovering economically.”

CITY IN DECAY?

Things haven’t been looking good for buyers in Golden Gate City lately.

Last month, Whole Foods Market closed its flagship store amid mounting theft and “hostile” customers.

According to a New York Times report, employees were threatened with guns, knives and sticks.

Meanwhile, Amazon closed its four Amazon Go locations on April 1.

The full list of stores fleeing San Francisco also includes H&M, Gap, Disney, Abercrombie and Fitch, The Container Store and more, according to Business Insider.

But San Francisco isn’t the only city suffering from a wave of closures.

See why Walmart closed all of its Portland, Oregon locations and REI is following suit.

And Chicago, Illinois lost four Walmart stores in one part of the city, sparking outrage from community groups.