Nordstrom Closing 2 Stores in San Francisco as Mall Complains of 'Rampant' Crime

[Celerity]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/nordstrom-closing-stores-in-downtown-san-francisco-amid-rampant-crime



Nordstrom is planning to close its two stores in downtown San Francisco, according to reports.

The retailer’s chief stores officer emailed staff on Tuesday to say that “the dynamics of the downtown San Francisco market have changed dramatically over the past several years, impacting customer foot traffic to our stores and our ability to operate successfully.”

The Westfield mall, where one of the stores will shut down, said in a statement: “A growing number of retailers and businesses are leaving the area due to the unsafe conditions for customers, retailers, and employees, coupled with the fact that these significant issues are preventing an economic recovery of the area.”

The statement continued to urge the city leaders to “find solutions to the key issues and lack of enforcement against rampant criminal activity.”

Read it at The San Francisco Standard

[Sympthsical]

1. Part of it is also remote tech work killing office occupancy

A lot of the office space in the financial district and along Market St. has been diminished or shut down when workers switched to remote. A lot of these companies realized they didn't need expensive real estate to get the same jobs done. I have quite a few friends who used to work down there that no longer need to.

I know people like to reflexively defend S.F. because it's liberal, but the policies really do need to change and a lot of the Old Guard and bureaucracy need to be cleared out. It's not like anyone's going to vote in a Republican. It's ok to seek change and an approach different from what is CLEARLY NOT WORKING.

Because, honestly, downtown is just a completely unpleasant place to be these days. I bought concert tickets for my partner this week. Saw the venue was August Hall and instantly thought, "Uggggh." Well, I guess we're walking through the super exciting Tenderloin/Union Square area late at night. Or we'll just go full Seal Team Six and dip in and out with an Uber or something.

But people online keep denying there's a problem, and it's just like, "Have you been here?" And a lot of the San Franciscans online forever screaming "Everything is fine!" are all squirreled away in their enclaves. You can always tell. They wouldn't be caught dead outside of their upscale little hidey holes.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

2. Los Angeles has a expensive, expansive subway system. The Fentanyl addicts and homeless

are driving the middle class away from using it. . So, I understand your point of view. Karen Bass has come into office and is focusing on these issues

[moonscape]

4. Stamp! I used to love going to the city

but it became less and less enjoyable. I even let my de Young/Legion of Honor membership lapse. When your car gets broken into in the middle of the day in the top lot by the entrance? I’m done.

[Celerity]

6. San Francisco Realtor Shows Couple Earning Under 6-Figure Salary Around Neighborhoods Best Tent City

https://www.theonion.com/san-francisco-realtor-shows-couple-earning-under-6-figu-1850289467



SAN FRANCISCO—Saying this was by far the best option given their financial situation, San Francisco real estate agent Harry Evans reportedly showed a couple earning a sub-six-figure salary Wednesday around the neighborhood’s best tent city.

“So we obviously have a lovely view here of the park, great flap to this tent—zipper’s broken, but that’ll be fixed before you move in,” said Evans, expressing his opinion that based on the couple’s single-salary household, there was little chance of affording anything showier unless they were willing to compromise on a cramped dumpster in the Tenderloin District.

“I’m happy to show you some places out in San Pablo, if you’re looking for a bigger tent. But you can’t beat the natural sunlight coming through the holes in the rain fly. What do you think?”

At press time, Evans told the couple that if either of them ever sold a tech startup, he could show them some camper vans parked in the Castro that would really blow them away.

[PufPuf23]

3. Here is a link to map in today's SF Chronicle of the retail stores

closing in downtown San Francisco.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/san-francisco-retail-closures-17923551.php

[Celerity]

5. Market Street massacre