Nordstrom to close 2 San Francisco locations amid city's unrelenting crime surge

Department store chain Nordstrom recently announced plans to close two of its San Francisco retail stores amid the city's unrelenting crime surge.

Nordstrom confirmed Tuesday that it would close down its anchor location in downtown San Francisco's Westfield Mall at the end of August and its nearby discounted sister brand, Nordstrom Rack, store on July 1.

Jamie Nordstrom, the company's chief stores officer, wrote in a message to employees obtained by the San Francisco Business Times, "Decisions like this are never easy, and this one has been especially difficult."

"But as many of you know, the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully," the message continued.

Nordstrom stated that to serve its San Francisco customers better, the company plans to focus efforts on its 16 Bay Area locations and online sales.

The department store is anticipated to open 20 new Nordstrom Rack locations this year, with more planned in 2024.

Several other retailers in the Westfield Mall have also recently announced plans to shut down, including Office Depot, the Container Store, Anthropologie, and Saks Off 5th.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, a spokesperson for the Westfield Mall, told the San Francisco Business Times that the closure of Nordstrom "underscores the deteriorating situation in downtown San Francisco."

The mall's owner "has actively engaged with city leaders for many years to express our serious concerns, which are shared by our customers and retailers," the spokesperson noted.

"We have urged the city to find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement against rampant criminal activity," Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield added. "The current environment is not sustainable for the community, or businesses, and we are hopeful the city will implement the changes that are so urgently needed."

Other store closures in the Union Square area since 2020 include Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Marshall's, Crate & Barrel, Disney, and H&M, the San Francisco Standard reported.

Whole Foods announced in April that it would close its downtown San Francisco location after being open for only a year, citing safety concerns related to a spike in crime.

"To ensure the safety of our Team Members, we have made the difficult decision to close the Trinity store for the time being," a spokesperson stated.

A Target store in San Francisco also recently started stocking its products behind security glass to deter rampant theft.

"Like other retailers, organized retail crime is a concern across our business. We're taking proactive measures to keep our teams and guests safe while deterring and preventing theft," a Target spokesperson said.

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