San Francisco, once a bustling hub of commerce and tourism, is witnessing a significant exodus of major brands, as revealed by a series of before and after images.
The images, derived from Google Maps screenshots, depict the departure of prominent chains such as Target and CVS from the city.
A multitude of renowned brands, including Whole Foods and Nordstrom, have recently vacated the Californian metropolis, driven away by escalating crime rates and dwindling foot traffic. The city's long-standing struggle with rampant Fentanyl use and fatal overdoses has further exacerbated the situation, with 2023 on track to be its deadliest year yet.
Preliminary reports indicate that in the initial five months of 2023, the city witnessed 346 overdose deaths, marking an increase of over 40 percent compared to the same period in 2022. The video showcases abandoned storefronts of CBS, Target, Office Depot, and Walgreens, reflecting the grim reality of the city's retail landscape.
Office Depot shut its doors in April this year, while Crate & Barrel closed in February of the previous year. The city has been grappling with high theft rates, compelling a city center Walgreens to resort to chaining their freezers to deter shoplifters.
Over recent months, numerous retailers have announced their departure from the city's downtown area. Old Navy, a retail mainstay, declared last month that it would be closing its flagship store, joining the growing list of chains exiting the city.
This followed Nordstrom's announcement of closing all its city locations, attributing the decision to the 'changing dynamics' of San Francisco. The retail giant plans to shutter all remaining stores in the coming months.
In April, Whole Foods announced the closure of all its locations, a decision echoed by Anthropologie and Office Depot. These brands join the expanding list of stores abandoning the coastal city, including H&M, Marshall's, Gap, and Banana Republic.
Whole Foods had inaugurated a new 'flagship' location at Trinity Place in the city's Tenderloin District in March of the previous year, hoping to boost footfall after two years of COVID-19 restrictions severely impacted business. However, a year later, the organic food giant announced the temporary closure of their store due to safety concerns.
A recent alarming report revealed that 95 retailers in downtown San Francisco have closed since the onset of the COVID pandemic, marking a decline of over 50 percent. Of the 203 retailers operating in the city's Union Square area in 2019, only 107 remain, indicating a drop of 47 percent in the pandemic-stricken years.
One Target store in the city has resorted to locking up more of its products to ward off thieves. An employee at the location reported frequent robberies, occurring as often as 'every ten minutes.' Social media footage of another Target store shows large portions of their stock now secured behind barriers.
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