A longtime store in San Francisco is announcing that it is closing after almost a century in business. The departure of Jeffrey’s Toys in the major California city is another example of businesses leaving the greater Bay Area following a sharp increase in crime and homelessness.
Jeffrey’s Toys was a mainstay in the city for decades and even played a role in inspiring the popular Disney Film “Toy Story.” However, the closure is yet the latest challenge for city leaders.
Despite the co-owner of the store describing a “real magical thing” offered by the location, it will be closing after four generations of family ownership.
The store’s ownership described challenges over the last decade, including moving to a new location and the effects of the pandemic.
However, crime played a major role. In one case, an intruder attempted to stab an employee, leading to the employee quitting the store.
The San Francisco toy store that helped to inspire the animators behind Disney’s Toy Story franchise is the latest retailer closing in the troubled left-wing city. | @ryanamills77 https://t.co/hfooUpyNrv
— National Review (@NRO) January 30, 2024
Co-owner Matthew Luhn said that his family wanted to keep the business open but needed a “healthier relationship with the city.”
San Francisco has one of the highest costs of living and costs of doing business in the entire country. The city also struggles with one of the largest homeless populations in the United States. Despite spending heavily to try and find solutions to the homeless problem, conservative critics argue that the city’s policies are actually encouraging, rather than preventing, homelessness.
Furthermore, the greater Bay Area has seen a number of other closures in recent months. Earlier in January, the fast food chain In-N-Out announced that its only location in Oakland would be closing. The area around the site had more than 1,000 criminal reports in the last five years.
San Francisco has also gained significant attention for a number of flash mob robberies and other business closings. Last year, a number of major chains, including Walgreens and T Mobile announced the closure of locations in and around the city.
The Westfield San Francisco Centre, a major mall in the city, announced its closure last year. Furthermore, a location of the high-end retail outlet Nordstrom also closed its doors.
