(KRON) — Thursday, Elon Musk tweeted that San Francisco “feels post-apocalyptic” in response to the number of retail stores that have recently announced closures. Many stores have cited the rising crime — which Musk hasn’t been shy about commenting on either — and lack of foot traffic as many workers pivot to working from home.
City supervisor Matt Dorsey and Senator Scott Weiner also weighed in on San Francisco’s changing retail landscape, saying they were “disappointing” and “tragic” but not unexpected with stores citing rising crime. Even though, statistically, San Francisco’s violent crime is lower than many large cities in the U.S.
Regardless, several big brands have announced closures set for 2023. Here are some of the retailers that are pulling out of San Francisco:
Nordstrom
Nordstrom officials announced the closure of their Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack locations at San Francisco Centre Tuesday set for this summer. Nordstrom has had a home in San Francisco since 1988.
Chief stores officer Jamie Nordstrom cited the changing dynamics of downtown San Francisco and the lack of foot traffic.
Nordstrom is set to close July 1 and Nordstrom Rack is set to close by the end of August.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods shuttered its Mid-Market location doors in April, less just a year after it opened.
The 64,737-square-foot location was one of the largest grocery stores in San Francisco and boasted more than 3,700 local products, according to Whole Foods officials.
A spokesperson for the store cited safety concerns as the reason for the closure as well as dwindling foot traffic.
Saks Off 5th
Saks Off 5th is set to close its Market Street location this fall, officials announced in May, according to reports.
The Saks Off 5th location is located right next to Nordstrom Rack in downtown San Francisco.
Anthropologie
Anthropologie announced the closure of its Market Street location in April. Its last day will be May 13.
Office Depot
The San Francisco Business Times reported the Office Depot on Third Street near Yerba Buena Park is closing its doors as part of a restructuring plan announced in 2020. The plan involves the closure of an indefinite number of stores around the country through the end of 2023.
These stores join other large retailers, including Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M and Uniqlo, in what seems like a retail exodus from San Francisco.