The founder of a popular clothing and gear outfitter wrote a scathing goodbye letter to San Francisco, saying he’s pulling out because the city has “descended into a city of chaos.”
Cotopaxi CEO Davis Smith said near-daily brazen robberies, constant vandalism, and fears for the safety of his employees have left him no choice but to shutter the store he opened “in a charming shopping district” a year ago. The city’s refusal to do anything about theft and safety makes it impossible to run the business, he said.
“Our team is terrified,” Smith wrote in a lengthy note posted on LinkedIn. “They feel unsafe. Security guards don’t help because these theft rings know that security guards won’t/can’t stop them. It’s impossible for a retail store to operate in these circumstances, especially when cities refuse to take any action (despite us paying taxes well above any other state we operate in).”
“As of today, we are closing the store due to rampant organized theft and lack of safety for our team,” Smith wrote. “Our store is hit by organized theft rings several times per week. They brazenly enter the store and grab thousands of dollars of product and walk out.”
Several businesses have left San Francisco since the city reduced the penalty for shoplifting under $950 worth of goods amid a surge in homelessness, public drug use, and crime. Countless viral videos have shown shoplifters emptying store shelves into garbage bags and walking out of stores as security guards watch.
Get out. Go where people will pay, not steal.