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[Kacho]

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - The last two Walmart stores within Portland’s city limits will close in late March, the company announced.

The locations, at 1123 North Hayden Meadows Drive and at 4200 Southeast 82nd Avenue at the Eastport Plaza, will both close on Friday, March 24. Walmart says they are closing the stores because they were not meeting financial expectations.

“The decision to close these stores was made after a careful review of their overall performance. We consider many factors, including current and projected financial performance, location, population, customer needs, and the proximity of other nearby stores when making these difficult decisions. After we decide to move forward, our focus is on our associates and their transition, which is the case here,” a spokesperson with Walmart said.

People who live near the stores that are closing say the closure is going to have a big impact on them and low-income shoppers.

“Safeway is the go-to-store if I have to but that’s three times the price I would spend here,” Amanda Pahl said. “What are we going to do? You got to go further, then you have to spend gas money. Might as well pay for it at Safeway at this point.”

According to a Walmart spokesperson, pharmacy staff will work with customers to transfer their prescriptions to other locations before that date.

All employees at the two locations will have the option to transfer to other, nearby locations.

“We are grateful to the customers who have given us the privilege of serving them at our Hayden Meadows and Eastport Plaza locations,” the company said in a statement.

There will still be over a dozen Walmart stores in the metro area, outside of Portland’s city limit.

All Portland Walmart stores to permanently close in late March

The last two Walmart stores within Portland’s city limits will close in late March.

www.kptv.com

 

[daffyduck]

Is this a unionization thing? The bolded explanation sounds like baloney.

 

[AJUMP23]

Too much theft?

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Not too often you hear WM stores shut down. Although it can happen if it's simply relocation. But a total shut down is rare.

I'll assume there's too much customer sketchiness going on at those locations, it's better to bail. WM as a whole company probably only makes about 5% net profit (too lazy to check), so all it takes is some weird shit going on at a store and that profit can easily turn to a loss.

(Edit: I checked. WM's net profit % is 2%. It used to be closer to 3% years back)

 

[jshackles]

Is this a unionization thing? The bolded explanation sounds like baloney.

Nope, it's 100% too much theft. Portland police aren't even investigating what's called "2nd degree theft" (under $750) anymore, and the DA isn't prosecuting. So people are stealing big ticket items on the regular, and the cops won't even file a report (which is required for Walmart's insurance/etc. to cover the losses).

Essentially, law and order have broken down there.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

How will I make meth now?

 

[Beastclaw Raider]

Sounds like union

edit: doesnt sound like union, saw above post

 

[MidGenRefresh]

Ahhhh too bad we can’t discuss politics.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Sounds like union

edit: doesnt sound like union, saw above post

I was thinking UFOs myself.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Nope, it's 100% too much theft. Portland police aren't even investigating what's called "2nd degree theft" (under $750) anymore, and the DA isn't prosecuting. So people are stealing big ticket items on the regular, and the cops won't even file a report (which is required for Walmart's insurance/etc. to cover the losses).

Essentially, law and order have broken down there.

Crazy. Isnt California $1000?

You'd think the threshold might be $75 or $100. But when the law isn't even caring about $750 it goes to show what a reckless shit show it is across sketchy people and the law not even bothering.

You can get a big TV for $750 US. So a guy can walk in, walk out with a TV and nothing happens?

LOL. Insane. That's USA for ya.

 

[jshackles]

How will I make meth now?

Don't worry, there are plenty of people still making meth in Oregon.

In fact, it's decriminalized here. If you get caught in possession of meth, you get a ticket.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Don't worry, there are plenty of people still making meth in Oregon.

In fact, it's decriminalized here. If you get caught in possession of meth, you get a ticket.

 

[Pegasus Actual]

So, if I get political in obvious-political-thread, will I get in trouble? Or does OP get in trouble for obvious-political-thread?

 

[GymWolf]

Nope, it's 100% too much theft. Portland police aren't even investigating what's called "2nd degree theft" (under $750) anymore, and the DA isn't prosecuting. So people are stealing big ticket items on the regular, and the cops won't even file a report (which is required for Walmart's insurance/etc. to cover the losses).

Essentially, law and order have broken down there.

So wait, is this what happen?

 

[Maiden Voyage]

 

[DeepEnigma]

You get what you "vote for." Systematic destruction and unrest from within.

 

[jshackles]

Crazy. Isnt California $1000?

You'd think the threshold might be $75 or $100. But when the law isn't even caring about $750 it goes to show what a reckless shit show it is across sketchy people and the law not even bothering.

You can get a big TV for $750 US. So a guy can walk in, walk out with a TV and nothing happens?

LOL. Insane. That's USA for ya.

The state law here says that a class 2 theft (under $750) is still punishable by up to 1 year in jail or a $6,250 fine.

The problem is that the municipality of Portland reduced their police funding pretty significantly a few years back, and they elected an extremely lenient district attorney. So - not enough cops to investigate every crime, and the ones that are available won't even bother with this because they know it'll go nowhere, the perpetrator won't be charged anyway, and that they'll get away scott free. The cops know this, and the criminals know this.

The end result is that you can indeed walk into a Walmart in Portland, put a PlayStation 5 in your shopping cart, and leave the store with it without paying. There is about a 0.1% chance that you'll suffer any consequences at all, especially if this is the first time you've done it and you're not a repeat offender. If you go over $750 it's considered "grand theft larceny" which carries stiffer penalties (meaning higher potential chance for the cops / DA to care), and it becomes a felony (federal crime, could potentially be investigated by the FBI).

Thankfully, rural counties in Oregon (where I live) aren't like this. It's a situation that's pretty unique to Portland (and to an extent, Salem).

 

[Beastclaw Raider]

The state law here says that a class 2 theft (under $750) is still punishable by up to 1 year in jail or a $6,250 fine.

The problem is that the municipality of Portland reduced their police funding pretty significantly a few years back, and they elected an extremely lenient district attorney. So - not enough cops to investigate every crime, and the ones that are available won't even bother with this because they know it'll go nowhere, the perpetrator won't be charged anyway, and that they'll get away scott free. The cops know this, and the criminals know this.

The end result is that you can indeed walk into a Walmart in Portland, put a PlayStation 5 in your shopping cart, and leave the store with it without paying. There is about a 0.1% chance that you'll suffer any consequences at all, especially if this is the first time you've done it and you're not a repeat offender. If you go over $750 it's considered "grand theft larceny" which carries stiffer penalties (meaning higher potential chance for the cops / DA to care), and it becomes a felony (federal crime, could potentially be investigated by the FBI).

Thankfully, rural counties in Oregon (where I live) aren't like this. It's a situation that's pretty unique to Portland (and to an extent, Salem).

That's crazy man, I wouldnt even steal something from a dollar store here.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

Too much theft?

Most of the theft from employees.

 

[Kacho]

Thankfully, rural counties in Oregon (where I live) aren't like this. It's a situation that's pretty unique to Portland (and to an extent, Salem).

What is the consensus over there? Do people think Portland is salvageable? From the outside looking in that seems incredibly unlikely.

 

[jshackles]

What is the consensus over there? Do people think Portland is salvageable? From the outside looking in that seems incredibly unlikely.

Potential conspiracy theory ahead:

Not to get too political, but a lot people in rural Oregon is that this is mostly being pushed as an agenda to turn Portland into a bunch of slums to lower the property values so that rich billionaires can swoop in to buy massive amounts of land. Once that's done, they'll swing things in the other direction and start cracking down on this stuff so that they can make it a nice place to live again and drive the property values back up to where they were.

But, it's hard to say. Tons of people here think this didn't just happen organically (staged "peaceful protests", rise of "defund the police" in media, etc.) so they assume that the powers that be have done this for a reason.

If it's not that, this kind of stuff will certainly drive people out of the city organically as they lose jobs and businesses. Eventually there could be enough dispersal that the voting population that's left will stand up against it politically. There's always hope.

 

[HoodWinked]

Walmart CEO: 'Stores will close' if theft at retailer doesn't decline

The world's largest retailer likely loses about 1% of its US revenue — or roughly $3 billion every year — to stealing by customers and employees.

www.businessinsider.com

They're following through on their threat they made in December. Probably starting with the least profitable stores.

The funny thing is that Portlanders are likely glad they're leaving since Walmart is like the quintessential US capitalist corporation. So nothing will be learned or fix. Thefts likely will just migrate to their next targets like small businesses and Target.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

The funny thing is that Portlanders are likely glad they're leaving since Walmart is like the quintessential US capitalist corporation

That is what the well off people always think, but poor and working class families rely on Walmarts, Krogers, Sams Clubs, and Costcos. At least we did growing up.

Thefts likely will just migrate to their next targets like small businesses and Target.

Yep. Once these policies actually effect the rich people things will change. Or Portland will slowly become Detroit, who knows.

 

[daffyduck]

...The end result is that you can indeed walk into a Walmart in Portland, put a PlayStation 5 in your shopping cart, and leave the store with it without paying. ...

From what I've noticed, consoles are typically behind glass or a cage, or lately, in the back.

Are they just on a shelf in Portland?

 

[Azurro]

I'd feel bad for the people in the article, but, they did chose their representatives and their policies. They fucked around, they found out.

 

[Patrick S.]

From what I've noticed, consoles are typically behind glass or a cage, or lately, in the back.

Are they just on a shelf in Portland?

Man I remember seeing pictures on 9gag where makeup for black people had more anti theft protection than a money transporter, and the stuff for light-skinned people had none of that. In places like that, I'd expect a guy with a shotgun watching over the game consoles...

 

[AJUMP23]

Most of the theft from employees.

My brother was a CSM there years ago and most product stolen goes out the back not the front. Annual bonuses use to be tied to theft.

 

[poodaddy]

Nope, it's 100% too much theft. Portland police aren't even investigating what's called "2nd degree theft" (under $750) anymore, and the DA isn't prosecuting. So people are stealing big ticket items on the regular, and the cops won't even file a report (which is required for Walmart's insurance/etc. to cover the losses).

Essentially, law and order have broken down there.

Don't worry, there are plenty of people still making meth in Oregon.

In fact, it's decriminalized here. If you get caught in possession of meth, you get a ticket.

I moved from Seattle a year ago now, mostly due to the insane violent crime rates and unbelievably horrible drug and homeless problems, and went clear across the country to Maine. With every bit of news out of the west coast, that decision is vindicated more every day.

Leave the west coast folks, it's fuckin done. Law and order does still exist else where. Cops here in Maine don't fuck around man, and I LOVE it. If you continue to choose living in the west coast, I highly suggest arming yourself and getting a security system for your house; it's all gonna be Los Angeles lite soon.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

 

[NickFire]

It takes a very special and impressive kind of stupid to foster an environment where Walmart says the area has become too shitty to keep doing business there.

 

[Mistake]

I moved from Seattle a year ago now, mostly due to the insane violent crime rates and unbelievably horrible drug and homeless problems, and went clear across the country to Maine. With every bit of news out of the west coast, that decision is vindicated more every day.

Leave the west coast folks, it's fuckin done. Law and order does still exist else where. Cops here in Maine don't fuck around man, and I LOVE it. If you continue to choose living in the west coast, I highly suggest arming yourself and getting a security system for your house; it's all gonna be Los Angeles lite soon.

I am slightly worried that Portland Maine will eventually become another Portland Oregon, but that’s far down the road. State police in ME and NH know what they’re doing atm

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I moved from Seattle a year ago now, mostly due to the insane violent crime rates and unbelievably horrible drug and homeless problems, and went clear across the country to Maine. With every bit of news out of the west coast, that decision is vindicated more every day.

Leave the west coast folks, it's fuckin done. Law and order does still exist else where. Cops here in Maine don't fuck around man, and I LOVE it. If you continue to choose living in the west coast, I highly suggest arming yourself and getting a security system for your house; it's all gonna be Los Angeles lite soon.

West coast is always drug laden. No different in Canada. BC is always known to be the druggy province of choice. If someone wants to be do weed or be stoned out of his mind 24/7 with an chill west coast work ethic, you dont pack up your bags and move to Alberta, Ontario or Nova Scotia. You get a one way ticket to BC.

 

[poodaddy]

I am slightly worried that Portland Maine will eventually become another Portland Oregon, but that’s far down the road. State police in ME and NH know what they’re doing atm

Yeah I know what ya mean. Southern Maine gets too much riff raff up from Boston I think, but up in central Maine the crime isn't too bad. It is far from nonexistent, but it's barely a problem. Most of the "crime" up here is pretty much just small time scammers and drunks being dumb.

 

[12Goblins]

Walmart CEO: 'Stores will close' if theft at retailer doesn't decline

The world's largest retailer likely loses about 1% of its US revenue — or roughly $3 billion every year — to stealing by customers and employees.

www.businessinsider.com

They're following through on their threat they made in December. Probably starting with the least profitable stores.

The funny thing is that Portlanders are likely glad they're leaving since Walmart is like the quintessential US capitalist corporation. So nothing will be learned or fix. Thefts likely will just migrate to their next targets like small businesses and Target.

Yea I think it's just become part of the culture there that its become permissible / not seen as unethical to steal from giant corporations like Walmart, Amazon, etc who are seen as exploitative/monopolizing and bad for small businesses/healthy competition

When they look at the numbers, I'm sure Walmart can see they are not welcome there, I don't think it necessarily means the culture there is degenerating

 

[GeekyDad]

Is this a unionization thing? The bolded explanation sounds like baloney.

Sounds like union

edit: doesnt sound like union, saw above post

I was thinking UFOs myself.

Unions are all but dead in retail. They are there, but they're functionality is pretty much a dog-and-pony show.

My guess (aka Alex Jones-ish speculations), this could be the first stages of their full transformation into an Amazon-like retail format -- delivery and pick-up. They may either end up buying out smaller companies that specialize in perishables, or open smaller Walmart-lite-type stores that focus only on perishables. They're not going to leave that food-stamp money on the table, but they have to make this transformation, as does Kroger, in order to stay top-tier. It's gonna be mostly part-timers going forward, like fast-food. But grocery and perishables make up only about one third or less in a typical Walmart store. There's no need for them to pay both warehouse people to unload pallets off trucks from docks, then reload those trucks with pallets to send to stores, and pay more people to stock that shit, when they can just unload once and ship individual items to customers like Amazon.

 

[Rush2112]

Businesses are leaving liberal cities. too much crime and homelessness and not enough law enforcement funding. this is the price of "tolerance." this is your liberal utopia.

Now, if only tugging your cock between your legs turned you into a woman, liberals would be in heaven.

 

[LordCBH]

Ah, the consequences of Portland’s own actions.

 

[Moneal]

Yea I think it's just become part of the culture there that its become permissible / not seen as unethical to steal from giant corporations like Walmart, Amazon, etc who are seen as exploitative/monopolizing and bad for small businesses/healthy competition

When they look at the numbers, I'm sure Walmart can see they are not welcome there, I don't think it necessarily means the culture there is degenerating

any culture that views it permissible and ethical to steal would be a culture that is degenerating.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Ah, the consequences of Portland’s own actions.

Literally "get woke go broke," eh, Walmart? And sadly the employees that will be out of a job in an already manufactured inflated market/economy, and people who rely on cheap affordable goods for their family to get by as well.

 

[12Goblins]

any culture that views it permissible and ethical to steal would be a culture that is degenerating.

What about robin hood bro

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Unions are all but dead in retail. They are there, but they're functionality is pretty much a dog-and-pony show.

My guess (aka Alex Jones-ish speculations), this could be the first stages of their full transformation into an Amazon-like retail format -- delivery and pick-up. They may either end up buying out smaller companies that specialize in perishables, or open smaller Walmart-lite-type stores that focus only on perishables. They're not going to leave that food-stamp money on the table, but they have to make this transformation, as does Kroger, in order to stay top-tier. It's gonna be mostly part-timers going forward, like fast-food. But grocery and perishables make up only about one third or less in a typical Walmart store. There's no need for them to pay both warehouse people to unload pallets off trucks from docks, then reload those trucks with pallets to send to stores, and pay more people to stock that shit, when they can just unload once and ship individual items to customers like Amazon.

Unionized martians. Who coulda seen that one coming?

What about robin hood bro

Goldilocks too.

 

[LegendOfKage]

So, if I get political in obvious-political-thread, will I get in trouble? Or does OP get in trouble for obvious-political-thread?

My rule of thumb is no mentioning politicians by name, and no red vs blue "teams" BS. Outside of that, we generally seem to be allowed to talk about serious issues, provided we stay away from "us vs them" mentality.

The other thing is there are plenty of people who don't feel represented by any major political party, and we all have opinions too.

 

[Paltheos]

Not too often you hear WM stores shut down. Although it can happen if it's simply relocation. But a total shut down is rare.

I'll assume there's too much customer sketchiness going on at those locations, it's better to bail. WM as a whole company probably only makes about 5% net profit (too lazy to check), so all it takes is some weird shit going on at a store and that profit can easily turn to a loss.

(Edit: I checked. WM's net profit % is 2%. It used to be closer to 3% years back)

Corroborating this post as I too did the math. Here are some more details for the interested (amounts are in millions USD):

Consolidated Net Income / Total Revenue = 13940 / 572754 = 2.43%

A ratio using operating income is more favorable but the margins are still thin:

Operating Income / Total Revenue = 25942 / 572754 = 4.53%

Source: Walmart's 2022 annual report (page 40)

Just as a point of comparison, Alphabet (Google) has a substantially more favorable income to revenue ratio, 21.2% (59972/282836). Not surprising since it's a tech company but I just felt like sharing.

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Corroborating this post as I too did the math. Here are some more details for the interested (amounts are in millions USD):

Consolidated Net Income / Total Revenue = 13940 / 572754 = 2.43%

A ratio using operating income is more favorable but the margins are still thin:

Operating Income / Total Revenue = 25942 / 572754 = 4.53%

Source: Walmart's 2022 annual report (page 40)

Just as a point of comparison, Alphabet (Google) has a substantially more favorable income to revenue ratio, 21.2% (59972/282836). Not surprising since it's a tech company but I just felt like sharing.

If I’m reading this correctly, and I believe I am, what you’re saying is the Walton family kept it G’s up and hoes down in ‘22.

 

[AJUMP23]

It takes a very special and impressive kind of stupid to foster an environment where Walmart says the area has become too shitty to keep doing business there.

I mean they are still in Detroit.

 

[Vicetrailia]

I moved from Seattle a year ago now, mostly due to the insane violent crime rates and unbelievably horrible drug and homeless problems, and went clear across the country to Maine. With every bit of news out of the west coast, that decision is vindicated more every day.

Leave the west coast folks, it's fuckin done. Law and order does still exist else where. Cops here in Maine don't fuck around man, and I LOVE it. If you continue to choose living in the west coast, I highly suggest arming yourself and getting a security system for your house; it's all gonna be Los Angeles lite soon.

The west coast is just really expensive to live at so there is lots of homeless, who do a lot of cheap drugs.

 

[Rival]

Portland sounds lovely. It’s too bad I’ll never fucking go there under any circumstance.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Too much theft?

I work retail, and Walmart has been hit hard by retail theft. They won't admit it, but that is more than likely one of the big reasons.

 

[GloveSlap]

So much of the modern world is just changing things in the dumbest ways possible only to find out that the old way was that way for a reason.

 

[The ninja farmer]

While in the uk.

Walmart have all but sold up their interest in retail with them getting rid of the Asda supermarket network. Hundreds of stores, thousands of employees. that they have owned for many years, sold in what looks a cheap deal. Walmart now have essentially no retail presence in the uk (the first things the new owners have done, is load the company with debt and transfer the ownership of Asda fuel stations to their own company)

Maybe signs of a bigger shift with the family behind walmart and a reaction to the current retail environment ?