Nordstrom Closing 2 San Francisco Stores, Cites Crime

Nordstrom will close both of its stores in downtown San Francisco because of worsening crime, the New York Post reported.

The retailer announced the summer closures at its Westfield Mall store and another nearby Nordstrom Rack.

Nordstrom’s chief stores officer wrote in an email to staff: “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,” abc7News.com (KGO) reported.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), owner of the Westfield Mall, where one of the Nordstrom stores is closing, said retailers are leaving in droves because of unsafe conditions despite the company begging city officials for help.

“A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area,” URW said. “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.”

The Nordstrom at Westfield Mall will shut down by the end of August, while the Nordstrom Rack on Market Street will close July 1, the New York Post reported.

Twenty retailers have shuttered in San Francisco’s Union Square since 2020, the New York Post reported.

Last month, a recently opened Whole Foods Market closed due to crime in the downtown area.

San Francisco currently has lower-than-average rates of violent crime compared to other major U.S. cities, but property crimes, such as theft and burglary, are higher than the national average.

In September 2022, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that a poll of 1,653 city residents found that over the past five years, 45% of San Francisco residents had been the victim of theft, and 24% had been either been threatened with violence or had been the victim of a violent crime.