Citing Crime, Target Shutting 9 Urban Locations

Target is shutting nine urban locations in the coming weeks, with the retailer citing violence, theft and organized retail crime as the motivating factors behind the closures.

The stores impacted are located in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood; two in Seattle (University Way and Ballard; three in the San Francisco/Oakland area (Folsom & 13th St., Broadway & 27th St., and Pittsburg), and three in Portland, Ore. (Galleria, Powell, and Hollywood). The stores will close on Oct. 21.

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“We cannot continue operating these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests, and contributing to unsustainable business performance,” Target said in a statement. “We know that our stores serve an important role in their communities, but we can only be successful if the working and shopping environment is safe for all.”

Before making this decision, Target officials said the company invested in strategies to prevent and stop theft and organized retail crime stores, such as adding security team members, using third-party guard services, and implementing theft-deterrent tools. 

During a recent second quarter conference call to discuss results, Target CEO Brian Cornell said shrink overall is expected to cut the retailer’s full-year profitability by more than a half-billion dollars when compared to the previous fiscal year.

“We do not want to close stores,” he said during the conference call. “They create jobs, they generate taxes, they’re very important for those local shoppers, and they play a critical role in communities across the country."