Nike temporarily closes historic Portland store due to shoplifting

• Nike has closed its Portland, Oregon store, at least temporarily. Shoplifting is rampant.
• The store has been a source of pride for both Nike and the community since it opened.
• Nike is in talks with Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler about reopening stores.

Nike has temporarily closed its store in Portland, Oregon, USA, which has a rich history. Shoplifting is rampant.

“People were walking into stores with their bags open, picking up their merchandise, and walking out the door past unarmed security guards,” he said, referring to Portland’s civil rights and education reforms. Aspiring activist Ron Herndon told Insider.

Herndon helped Nike open the store in 1984.

In the United States, shoplifting damage is said to be worth 95 billion dollars (about 12.6 trillion yen), and retail stores are taking various measures.

According to local newspaper The Oregonian, Nike sent a letter to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler last week proposing measures such as hiring off-duty police officers to arrest shoplifters. It says. Insider asked the city of Portland to release the contents of the letter, but was unable to obtain a copy.

“Employee and consumer safety is a responsibility that Nike takes very seriously,” Nike said in a statement to Insider.

The company said it proposed a “long-term and coordinated partnership with the city to protect its employees, consumers and communities,” without elaborating.

Major retailers have warned that stolen goods are flooding online markets such as Amazon, Craigslist, eBay and Facebook.

“We’re seeing an increase in large-scale shoplifting by individuals,” David Johnston, vice president of property protection and retail operations at the National Retail Federation (NRF), told Insider.

“This is a nationwide problem. It’s not just affecting big retailers and big name brands, it’s also affecting small business owners.”

With shoplifting rampant, major retailers are taking a variety of measures, such as locking products under stricter control.

A spokesperson for the city of Portland said the company is working with Nike on these issues, including the downtown Portland store that remains open.

“Addressing shoplifting, vandalism and safety concerns requires cooperation among local retailers, law enforcement and others with the support of the justice system, and we will continue to work together for public safety.” said Mayor Wheeler.

In November 2022, local NBC-affiliated station KGW reported that Nike had reported 437 shoplifting incidents since 2019. In Portland, it was second only to Target’s 650 cases.

Since opening in June 1984, the now-defunct Nike in Portland has been a “proud” not only for its employees, but also for its community.

Herndon, who co-headed Portland’s Black United Front (BUF) at the time, told the Portland Business Journal that Nike’s opening was a handshake. Nike was criticized at the time for its lack of support for the black community.

According to a 1984 article in The Oregonian, Nike gave $10,000 in grants to surrounding community groups that year. Nike continues to employ the store’s employees in the surrounding area and continues to support local organizations.

“That was part of the deal we made with them,” Herndon told Insider.

“They say they don’t just hire people locally, but they invest in local organizations. And they stick to that.”

The Nike store is temporarily closed, but not permanently closed.

On February 13, employees were cleaning up inside the store. Merchandise is still on display. In the middle of the sales floor, stock was piled up in boxes. A landscaper was also seen trimming the plants in the parking lot.

“They want to stay in business,” Herndon said.

“I could have left at any time. They understand the legacy of this store. I don’t want it to close.”