'PORTLAND IS IN PERIL': Rains PDX shuts down due to spiralling crime as owner pens tragic elegy to city
PORTLAND, OREGON: Rampant crime in many cities has made it hard for small businesses owners to sustain their businesses or run smoothly, and the latest addition to owners slamming the state for not doing enough to help these business owners is Marcy Landolfo, a clothing store owner in Portland. Landolfo had recently shut down her business after suffering from more than 15 break-ins in the past year and a half.
Marcy’s store Rains PDX’s shutdown comes after she posted a note on what used to be her storefront, explaining the reasoning behind her decision to take away a clothing store that was a local resident favorite. In the note, she said that she cannot handle the losses from the break-ins and that beyond a certain point the insurance company has stopped lending a hand. She also points out the ever-increasing rate of crime as her primary reason and has informed her customers that her products will only be sold online from here on out.
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A report by FOX Business has said that Landolfo’s note reads, “Our city is in peril. Small businesses (and large) cannot sustain doing business, in our city’s current state. We have no protection, or recourse, against the criminal behavior that goes unpunished. Do not be fooled into thinking that insurance companies cover losses. We have sustained 15 break-ins … we have not received any financial reimbursement since the 3rd.”
She then goes on to add, “The problem is, as small businesses, we cannot sustain those types of losses and stay in business. I won’t even go into the numbers of how much has been out of pocket.” She has pointed out the governance of the city and has pleaded with her fellow local residents to vote consciously. She also made sure to appeal to her customer base and beyond to continue to support small businesses.
“Portland has always been known for its thriving and abundant local independently owned small businesses. If small businesses are forced out then out city will have lost a lot of what makes it a unique and desirable place to live. Please do your part and support small businesses this holiday season and beyond. Please be vigilant in voting to make our city safe again. Thank you and happy holidays.”
The owner at Rains tells me after five break-ins in about three weeks, she made the sudden decision to permanently close. Staff here are putting pressure on the city to look after small businesses dealing with ongoing challenges with crime. pic.twitter.com/XyP2p6PR6W
— Megan Allison (@mallisonKATU) November 26, 2022
A statement was also released from the Mayor’s Office, “Mayor Wheeler and his team understand that local businesses often must make a choice whether to pay out of pocket or file a claim with their insurance after a break-in. "For this reason, we’ve worked to increase funding for Business Repair Grants through Prosper Portland, and recently held a Retail Safety Summit to strategize with local business leaders and loss prevention specialists on the retail theft crisis. We are also working with interested property owners to streamline the permitting process to add enhanced lighting to storefronts, which can help deter nighttime break-ins.”