Footwear giant Nike announced this week that it is closing a Portland, Oregon location over crime concerns. The closure follows both Nike’s vocal support for movements such as Black Lives Matter and wider retail closures in several large cities dominated by the Democratic Party.
The company said last week that its store in the city’s northeast corner along Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. The company said that it was reimagining” what to do next at the location and “considering future locations as part of this community’s long term revitalization plan.”
The closure comes after a significant increase in the city since 2020.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who had called for the defunding of his city’s police department said that he tried to work with Nike over its “safety challenges.”
“Ultimately, the City cannot offer Nike, or any other private business, with dedicated off-duty PPB officers due to PPB’s staffing shortage. I remain committed to supporting Nike’s future success in Portland and look forward to their future investments in our community.”
Nike abandons Portland store re-opening amid 'theft and safety issues' https://t.co/Izs3wpLuij
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) September 10, 2023
The city’s increase in theft also resulted in Walmart announcing the closure of several locations in the city.
Earlier this year, a number of the city’s business leaders said that they were considering leaving the city due to an increase in crime. Other businesses, such as Umpqua Bank, have already announced their exit from the city.
The Oregon city also struggles with one of the highest rates of homelessness in the country.
The Portland announcement came several weeks after a Nike store in Los Angeles was the subject of a daylight robbery.
In 2020, the brand released a commercial that asked its customers to “be part of the change.”
“Don’t pretend there’s not a problem in America. Don’t turn your back on racism. Don’t accept innocent lives being taken from us,” the company said.
The company was also one of a number of major brands that donated $140 million towards a number of organizations linked to Black Lives Matter.
