Target announces store closures, citing safety concerns

Target Corp. announced Tuesday that it is closing nine stores across four states, effective Oct. 21, due to “theft and organized retail crime … threatening the safety of our team and guests.”

Workplace violence in the retail sector has been an ongoing issue for companies.

The Minneapolis-based company said in a statement that “unsustainable business performance” at the stores helped justify the closures despite investment strategies to prevent retail crime, including adding more security personnel, using third-party guard services, and implementing “theft-deterrent tools.”

Target is closing three stores each in the Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco-Oakland markets; two in Seattle; and one in New York.