Retail giant Walmart has announced the closure of one of its stores in Washington, following reports of underperformance and rampant theft. This is a major problem that is annoying major retailer chains in all the United States, and has provoked so far that tens of stores had to be shut down, leaving communities without shopping options and workers unemployed.
The store, located in Everett, Washington, at 11400 Highway 99, is set to shut down on April 21st, with all of its 198 employees being given the opportunity to transfer to other Walmart locations in the area. The decision to close the Everett location was not solely based on theft, according to Walmart. The company stated that it periodically reviews the performance of its over 5,000 stores across the United States, and unfortunately, some do not meet their financial expectations. Other factors considered in the decision include location, population, customer needs, and the proximity of other nearby stores.
Walmart Stores Are Being Lurked by Theft, Forcing Them to Close Forever
Several neighboring businesses claimed that theft was a significant issue at the Everett store, with some citing it as the reason for this store going out of business. The closure of the location comes amid reports of increased theft at Walmart locations nationwide, which could lead to more closures if left unchecked.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon acknowledged that theft is a rising problem for the company, telling CNBC in December that it’s higher than what it has historically been. McMillon warned that if theft is not corrected over time, prices will be higher, and/or stores will close. While Everett police said they were not aware of a higher incidence of shoplifting at the Highway 99 store compared to other local retailers, some near commerces claimed shoplifting has become a significant issue, including at Walmart. Dennis Matheson, owner of nearby Chuck’s Chevron Services Center, claimed that theft was the cause of the closure. He cited the fact that even socks were under lock and key as evidence that theft was an issue.
Walmart Has Been Closing Several Stores Due to Shoplifting
In late February, Walmart closed its two Portland stores, though other locations remain open in the surrounding area. Walmart did not cite shoplifting as a reason for the closures, but Portland police say theft has become a serious problem for stores.
Walmart owns the property in Everett but has not outlined plans for it, according to The Daily Herald. Walmart hopes to minimize any disruptions from the closure and has stated that pharmacy staff will help move customer prescriptions to other stores. The company emphasized efforts to retain all store employees, who were not to blame for the closure.
Most of the employees are offered to be transferred to other stores, but that’s not easy for everyone. Move to a new city is not a possible thing for most of the families, and many are left behind unemployed.