Residents of Portland, Oregon will soon have to travel further to stock up at Walmart as the company announced it will be closing both of the city's locations by the end of March.
The stores at opposite ends of the city on Hayden Meadows Drive and SE 82nd Avenue, respectively, have become a staple in the retail habits of so many, however, Walmart claimed the decision to shut them down was made due to a lack of profits. Some have questioned, however, if the decision came about as the result of rampant shoplifting.
"Walmart has long been harshly criticized by the city's left-wing politicians & residents," The Post Millennial Senior Editor Andy Ngo said, suggesting that, "this shutdown follows the consequences of the 2020 BLM-Antifa riots that normalized urban criminality."
Comment: Walmart CEO had issued a warning several months ago
"The decision to close these stores was made after a careful review of their overall performance," a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement. "We consider many factors, including current and projected financial performance, location, population, customer needs, and the proximity of other nearby stores when making these difficult decisions. After we decide to move forward, our focus is on our associates and their transition, which is the case here."
In a letter to Mayor Ted Wheeler regarding the closure of the SE 82nd Avenue location, Walmart explained that 379 employees would be impacted. The company noted that the store would close to the public on March 24, and staff would b terminated by June 2.
"We expect the employment separations to be permanent," Walmart said, adding, however, that "all separated employees can apply for open positions at other Walmart or Sam's Club locations."
There are over a dozen other locations in the suburbs of Portland, however, shoppers were quite upset that the only two stores in the city were shutting their doors.
Speaking with KPTV, one customer lamented that nearby options were "three times the price" of Walmart, adding that with the extra gas money needed to drive to the out-of-town locations, it would likely be more affordable to just shop elsewhere.
"We gotta resolve the shoplifting one way or another," she added, addressing the topic of retail theft at the city's locations, "because that is simply the problem. It's gotta stop."
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