REI to Close Portland Location Amid ‘Highest Number of Break-Ins and Thefts in Two Decades’

Police detain passengers of a van linked to rioting, in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 11, 2020. Nathan Howard/Getty Images

A Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) store in Portland, Oregon, is closing amid soaring crime in the area.

REI sent an emailed statement to members of its business co-operative, informing them that their store location in Portland’s Pearl District would close early next year.

“The safety of our employees, members and customers is always our number one priority,” REI statement reads. “In recent years, Portland has been dealing with increased crime in our neighborhood and beyond. Last year, REI Portland had its highest number of break-ins and thefts in two decades, despite actions to provide extra security.”

REI said it has also outgrown the Pearl District location “and as a result are not able to provide the level of customer and employee experience we strive for at REI.”

“For these reasons, we are no longer confident in our ability to serve you in this location,” the business said.

REI said it is considering new locations in the Portland area but directed its customer base to its existing locations in Tualatin, Hillsboro, and Clackamas for the time being.

Retailers Leaving Portland

REI is not the only business being hindered by crime in Portland. Other businesses have also left the city amid crime concerns.

In November, Rains PDX announced its permanent closure in Portland, specifically saying “our city is in peril.”

“Small businesses (and large) cannot sustain doing business, in our city’s current state,“ Rains PDX said in a notice posted on its store window. ”We have no protection, or recourse, against the criminal behavior that goes unpunished. Do not be fooled into thinking that insurance companies cover losses. We have sustained 15 break-ins ... we have not received any financial reimbursement since the 3rd.”

In February, Walmart announced plans to close all of its Portland area locations after a review of store performances in those locations. A Walmart spokesperson said at the time that the performance assessment considered several factors like financial performance, location, population, customer needs, and the proximity of other nearby stores before making the decision to close the Portland locations. Walmart did not specifically cite crime in its decision to close the Portland locations, but in a December interview with CNBC, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said “theft is an issue” that could lead to price increases and store closures.

Mayor Trying to Keep REI

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office said they are committed to keeping REI’s business in Portland and has already worked with the retailer in recent months to address rising retail theft, vandalism, and other safety concerns around the storefront.

“The Portland Police Bureau and other public safety partners worked with REI directly to execute a retail theft mission at their Pearl location and developed proactive safety measures, including authorizing temporary security camera trailers at their loading dock and protective measures toward the front of their store,” Wheeler’s office said in an emailed statement to NTD News. “Last week, Governor [Tina] Kotek and Mayor Wheeler announced a shared commitment to advocate that the Oregon legislature increase capacity at [the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training] to help get newly hired police officers on the streets more quickly. The City’s Street Services Coordination Center has worked to clean up areas near the retail store to ensure customers and staff can safely visit the location.”

“Mayor Wheeler is committed to further supporting REI to help ensure we retain their business in Portland and help them succeed,” the mayor’s office added. “All options are on the table as we explore paths forward.”

In November, KGW8 reported that Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt had prosecuted 46 percent of theft cases involving less than $1,000 in goods in 2022, compared to a 93 percent prosecution rate for such offenses in neighboring Washington County and an 84 percent prosecution rate in Clackamas County.

NTD News reached out to Schmidt’s office for comment but did not receive a response before this article was published.

From NTD News