Target, the popular chain of department stores, recently announced that they will be closing nine of their stores in major cities due to the influx of violence and theft. The announcement has shocked many shoppers, as the company had built a reliable reputation for providing customers with a safe and secure shopping environment.
Target released a statement expressing deep regret for their decision to shut down the stores. The retail giant cited growing crime as one of the main factors in their decision-making process, claiming that the number and severity of criminal incidents was becoming impossible to manage.
To add to their statement, Target argued that the issues that come with transitioning to an e-commerce platform such as Amazon had nothing to do with their various closures. While the company is transitioning to an increasingly online presence, it is not the sole reason for the store closures.
The nine stores that are being officially closed are located in the heavily-populated cities of Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco. While this may come as an inconvenient truth to many shoppers in these major cities, the pressing danger posed by criminal activity has forced Target to take a stand and close their shops in order to better protect their staff and customers.
Target also announced that it is actively working on improving security in all of the stores that remain open. The chain has implemented a number of policies and procedures to ensure the safety of both shoppers and employees, from increased security personnel and increased lighting to better overall enforcement of store policies.
The announcement of the closures comes as a hard realty for shoppers, but Target is determined to do the right thing and prioritize customer and staff safety over profit. We hope that Target can find success and continue to provide shoppers with a safe and secure shopping atmosphere in their countless other retail outlets.