With the holiday season in full swing, many stores are launching larger seasonal items.
For Rains, an independent men’s and women’s clothing boutique in downtown Portland, Oregon, the fear of another burglary where those items could be stolen is too much of a risk — so much so that the store has chosen to close its doors. doors forever.
After a shocking 15 burglaries in just a year and a half, owner Marcy Landolfo posted a notice on the front door telling customers that Rains would no longer be open.
Rains’ owner tells me that after five burglaries in about three weeks, she made the sudden decision to close for good. The workforce here puts pressure on the city to take care of small businesses that face ongoing problems with crime. pic.twitter.com/XyP2p6PR6W
— Megan Allison (@mallisonKATU) November 26, 2022
“Small (and large) businesses cannot sustain business in the current state of our city. We have no protection or recourse against criminal behavior that goes unpunished,” the sign reads. “Don’t be fooled into thinking insurance companies will cover losses. We’ve had 15 burglaries…we haven’t received any monetary compensation since the 3rd.”
The note went on to say that small businesses are a focal point of the fabric that makes up Portland’s downtown community and that if crime continues at its current rate, the city could lose what is “unique” and quintessentially Portland. and encouraged citizens to continue supporting small businesses in anticipation of the influx of Christmas shopping.
Landolfo told the local outlet KATU2 that the decision came after losing an “out of pocket” amount in recent burglaries and that the losses and damage caused are simply “not sustainable” for business.
“The products that are targeted are the very expensive winter products and I felt like as soon as I get those in the store they are going to get stolen,” she told the outlet.
The Rains owner also claims that there are other “shenanigans” going on at the store, including people wandering in under the influence of drugs or having mental health issues that have “scared” her employees, as well as “senseless vandalism” at her storefront and windows.
Unfortunately, Rains’ shuttering isn’t the first to hit the city.
Starbucks made headlines last summer when it decided to close two retail locations on opposite sides of the street in Portland due to high crime rates. It closed another one in the city this month for the same reason.
Last week, Kim Malek, CEO of beloved national ice cream chain Salt and Straw, founded in Portland, said she was considering moving the company’s headquarters outside of the city’s east side.
“I don’t know what option I have,” she said. ‘I can’t stay there. I can not do it.’
The most recent crime report for the city of Portland cites 6,413 burglaries and 10,220 felonies as of October 2022.
