A surprising retailer is now closing in Georgia due to crime in its area, where the store has suffered from uncontrollable shoplifting.
Shoplifting in this one Walmart location has gotten so bad that the superstore is being led to close, leaving customers devastated.
“It’s really sad they have to close this store” shopper Elizabeth Roman told ABC affiliate WBS-TV 2.
The Walmart, located in Dunwoody, Georgia, only 16 miles outside of Atlanta, has been the victim of hundreds of shoplifting incidents and other crimes.
In 2023, Dunwoody Police responded to over 600 calls at the shopping center since 2023, according to police records.
The majority of those calls were shoplifting related, along with calls regarding other crimes.
“They come from other areas and steal here,” one shopper told WBS-TV 2.
The thieves aren’t discreet about their crimes either, sergeant Michael Cheek said.
“We had a group of people who would just walk in and grab large flat screens and walk out,” said Cheek.
As a way to mark the closing of the store, Walmart will be hosting a 50% off storewide sale, per The-Sun.
Although the sale allows loyal customers to buy products for much cheaper, it doesn’t make up for the permanent loss shoppers will experience.
“This was the neighborhood store. I’m just upset,” a Walmart shopper said.
Dunwoody’s Walmart closing is just one of dozens of Walmarts closing due to crime.
Walmart closed 24 stores in 2023 due to theft.
In a press release put out after several Chicago area Walmarts shut down, the company explained, “These stores lose tens of millions of dollars a year, and their annual losses nearly doubled in just the last five years.
We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the city [of Chicago]”.
“It was hoped that these investments would help improve our stores’ performance.
Unfortunately, these efforts have not materially improved the fundamental business challenges our stores are facing.”
Retail theft is costing stores millions of dollars, forcing many stores to close.
In 2023, retailers lost an estimated $121.6 billion to retail theft, according to a shoplifting survey conducted by Capital One.
That shocking statistic is expected to increase to over $150 billion by 2026.
Georgia alone lost $2.356 billion to retail theft in 2022.
“Theft is an issue. It is higher than what it has historically been,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillion said in 2022.
“If that’s not corrected over time, prices will be higher, and/or stores will close.”
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Also Read: An Unexpected Retailer Is Now Closing All Stores in Illinois
Other Economy News Today
An unexpected restaurant now abruptly closes 7 locations in one state after revealing plans to shutter a total of 36.
TGI Fridays is closing a total of seven restaurants in one state as part of the company’s ongoing growth strategy.
This comes after the chain abruptly closed 36 locations across 12 states in at the beginning of the year, per The-Sun.
The restaurant chain will pull the plug on seven locations across the state of New Jersey in the coming weeks.
Today, Fridays will welcome in famished diners at its location in Brick for the final time.
“As we continue along our path of transformation to revitalize the Fridays brand and implement a long-term growth strategy, we see a bright future for TGI Fridays,” said Weldon Spangler, CEO of TGI Fridays earlier this week.
“We are at the helm of a pivotal moment that will allow us to explore boundless advancement, expansion, and innovation to keep delivering ‘That Fridays Feeling’ that our fans know and love.”
Before the closures, TGI Fridays had about 270 US locations, according to the company’s website.
“As part of the store closures, TGI Fridays is offering more than 1,000 transfer opportunities, which represents over 80% of total impacted employees,” the company previously said in a statement.
“Our top priority has always been delivering a superior experience for each and every TGI Fridays guest, and we’ve identified opportunities to optimize and streamline our operations to ensure we are best positioned to meet – and exceed – on that brand promise,” said Ray Risley, US president and chief operating officer, in the release.
Eight other locations were sold to former CEO Ray Blanchette, a longtime stakeholder who will acquire the previously corporate-owned restaurants.
The sale comes as major changes have been made to the brand’s leadership, including the news of Weldon Spangler being made CEO.
“As we continue along our path of transformation to revitalize the Fridays brand and implement a long-term growth strategy, we see a bright future for TGI Fridays,” said Spangler in a statement.
Also Read: Retirees Will Now Receive More Money For Social Security
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