Due to the rise in crime, Target announced that it will close some of its stores located in Seattle. After this news, another large company, Hard Rock Cafe, announced that it will close its establishment located in the center of the most populated city in the state of Washington.
"Since the opening of the Hard Rock Cafe Seattle in 2010, Hard Rock International has enjoyed serving the Seattle community and playing a role in the city’s celebrated dining culture," noted the restaurant chain in a statement reported by the Seattle Times, confirming that the closing date will be Dec. 1.
Although no specific reason was given, the disappearance of Seattle's Hard Rock Cafe may be due to increased crime, as noted by The Post Millenial. Sixty-six employees will be left without work.
In the case of Target, it did confirm that the closure of its stores is because "theft and organized crime in retail threaten the safety of our team and our guests."
According to The Post Millenial, other large companies such as Nike and Amazon Go closed stores in Seattle, as did small businesses.
Residents ‘pressured’ to move
The crime boom in Seattle doesn't just affect businesses. Residents are also impacted.
According to a survey conducted by the Census Bureau, the percentage of Seattle residents who say they feel "pressured" to move due to unsafe streets is the highest in the nation. The figure was recently recorded at 7% (227,000 people).
