Retail giant Target has announced the closure of nine stores across four states, citing concerns about theft and organized retail crime jeopardizing the safety of both employees and customers. The affected locations include one in East Harlem, New York, and three in San Francisco, along with three stores in Portland, Oregon, and two in Seattle. The closures, effective October 21, will leave Target with a remaining 150 stores in the affected markets. Target is offering affected employees the opportunity to transfer to other stores.
The decision, described as “difficult” by Target, comes despite significant investments in theft prevention strategies, such as increasing security personnel, employing third-party guard services, and implementing theft deterrent tools. The company had also conducted training for store leaders and security team members to enhance safety. However, Target states that it faced “fundamental challenges” in operating these stores safely, and their business performance was deemed unsustainable.
While the store closures represent a fraction of Target’s nationwide operations of 1,900 stores, the move underscores the significant challenges faced by retailers in curbing theft while ensuring the safety of their workers and customers. CEO Brian Cornell had previously highlighted rising theft, revealing in May that it was impacting the company’s bottom line, with expected losses exceeding $1.2 billion for the fiscal year.
The affected stores include locations in diverse communities, such as the heavily Hispanic area of East Harlem, where residents rely on the store for access to quality and healthy foods. In San Francisco, one of the closed stores is situated in a largely commercial neighborhood with homeless tents, while another in Seattle is located near the University of Washington.
The decision also follows concerns raised by Cornell about a 120% increase in violent incidents against Target workers during the first five months of the year compared to the same period in the previous year. The broader issue of organized retail crime has gained attention in recent years, with high-profile thefts affecting various retailers. The National Retail Federation reported an average inventory loss of 1.6% last year, amounting to $112.1 billion, with external theft, including organized shoplifting incidents, accounting for 65% of the shrink.
Target has expressed its commitment to combating retail theft and fraud by making significant investments in cyber defense and collaborating with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations division.
