Target closing Harlem store due to crime

Sad, I really like Target, they have a surprisingly good food selection and prices are pretty reasonable . Where I live in Manhattan, I actually do most of my grocery shopping at Target since prices are so much cheaper than the local grocery stores. But I don’t envy working there, dealing with the shoplifting. The situation is totally out of control in Los Angeles and San Francisco. People just calmly walk in, load a duffel bag or backpack with merchandise, and calmly walk out. Makes you feel silly for actually paying since there seem to be no consequences to stealing. Seems the shoplifting/crime problem in these types of stores is a little better in the Northeast than California

It is sad - much as I don't like chains, they can keep costs down and Target is good at that, particulary for essentials. I wonder why the standard measures like tagging goods, keeping small items under lock and key and security didn't work. Maybe just a question of too many people doing it at once?

If employees are told not to intervene, the cops don't really respond, and if arrested they don't serve any time then... what do we expect?

Re: "Makes you feel silly for actually paying since there seem to be no consequences to stealing. "

My buddy's kid who is/was super lefty took a summer job during COVID while in HS at a clothing retailer. About a week of that disabused them of their most extreme views. "Dad, some days theres more theft than sales.. they just come in, stuff $1000 of shirts into their coat and walk out".

It's clearly organized or semi-organized theft rings that then fence online. These are not individuals stealing bread to feed their kids. This in a time with plentiful jobs with high minimum wage. Doing this instead of working is a choice.

This kind of stuff is going to drive brick&mortar (big&small) out of business and leave us with even more empty storefronts, with everything moving to big online monopoly retailers.

We also have stuff like this going on.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/five-defendants-arrested-daytime-armed-robberies-manhattan-jewelry-stores

I shop at the Costco downstairs and Costco hasn't had the same issue. Yes, yes, I know, they are very different business models- with membership, large bulky items, valuable items not out on the floor, etc. I can say that the Target in that location, since opening (and I can include the Bronx River Plaza location as well) was often a mess with inventory management problems. While I am sure the crime issue is real- some of this has been due to gross mismanagement - opening the door to these issues. Perception becomes reality.

And Target is still going to be opening next to the Trader Joes that is opening soon on 125th street between Lenox and ACP Blvd - diagonally across the street from Whole Foods.

Uptownspecialist, it's great that you are a specialist in uptown, as well as a specialist in retail inventory and retail management.

Sarcasm aside, if you walked through the store throughout the years it's been open- you would see lots of empty shelves and merchandise a mess. It doesn't take a inventory or retail management expert to see how poorly the store was kept.

I have to wonder if the lease was expiring and they just didn't like the new offered terms.

Target is smart to move

It's a policy failure to allow lawlessness and non-prosecution of criminals