Outdoor recreation retailer REI is planning to shutter its store in downtown Portland, Oregon, after a record-high number of break-ins as the city faces an ongoing crime crisis, FOX Business has confirmed.
"The safety of our employees, members and customers is always our number one priority," spokesperson Megan Behrbaum said. "Last year, REI Portland had its highest number of break-ins and thefts in two decades, despite our actions and investment to provide extra security."
Behrbaum said the company informed their co-op and more than 150 employees at the store in Portland's Pearl District on Monday that it plans to close the location when their lease expires in February 2024. She emphasized that the decision "does not reflect the hard work and dedication of our Portland team, nor the overall health of the co-op."
The spokesperson went on to explain that the store has also "outgrown" the current space it has occupied since 2004 and that the company wasn't able to reach an agreement with its landlord regarding investments necessary to provide their desired level of customer service and employee experience.
"These issues led to the decision to close the store when our lease is up in early 2024. Until that time, we look forward to continuing to serve the outdoor community," Behrbaum said. The closest REI stores outside Portland are located in Tualatin and Hillsboro, both 12 miles away.
Behrbaum further told The Seattle Times that theft problems at the Pearl District location peaked when someone plowed a car through the store's front window on Black Friday, marking its third break-in that week.
The store manager and REI's chief commercial officer subsequently met with Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler's office and law enforcement to address their safety concerns, according to the outlet. The spokesperson noted the store has spent more than $800,000 beefing up store security, such as security glass, private security and increased surveillance.
Despite their increased efforts, the crime has been "overwhelming systems in place," Behrbaum told The Seattle Times.
"Yet, we still experienced 10 burglaries, including one event that shut down our 14th Street entrance for more than two months," she said.
Violent crime in Portland has skyrocketed in recent years, with a recent study finding it rose most dramatically in 2020 when the city saw protests and riots almost every night in the wake of George Floyd's death.
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The city saw a 58% increase in homicides in 2020 compared to the year prior, and 2021 saw a 54% increase in homicides compared to 2020. The number of homicides in 2021 was a 238% increase from the numbers recorded in 2018.
FOX Business' Emma Colton contributed to this report.
