A WALMART store in Georgia that has been plagued by crime is to close in weeks and shelves are already starting to look bare.
Shocking pictures inside the Dunwoody supermarket show empty aisles – with some even sealed off to shoppers.
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And it has even prompted shoppers to ponder if there would be any items left on the day the outlet is to close.
Walmart chiefs confirmed the store, located within the Atlanta metro area, will permanently shut on July 12 and have attributed the reason to underperformance.
Bosses admitted that it hasn’t met the chain’s financial expectations.
“While our underlying business is strong, this store hasn’t performed as well as we hoped,” a spokesperson told Rough Draft Atlanta.
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But the store has seen a large police presence in recent years, according to stats shared by the outlet.
Last year, officers were reportedly called to the supermarket more than 600 times.
And police officials have opened on the shoplifting cases that have allegedly taken place.
Michael Cheek, a Dunwoody police sergeant, said brazen thieves have stolen items such as 50-inch televisions.
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Shoppers have continued to visit the store ahead of its closure and have been left stunned by what they have seen.
Pictures shared on a local Facebook forum showed aisles blocked off with tape and empty shelves.
The signage that lists the items on sale has also been removed.
The images sparked a flurry of reaction among shoppers.
“Is there anything left in the store?” one person asked.
Distressed shoppers have described the pending closure as a travesty.
“Behavior of some who ruin it for all,” a shopper blasted.
“It’s really sad they have to close this store,” Elizabeth Roman told the ABC affiliate WSB-TV.
“This was the neighborhood store. I’m just upset,” fellow shopper Monica Buckley cried.
Shoppers have told how they used to love taking advantage of the store’s deals and sales.
“The prices were much cheaper than Target,” Christina Kramer told Rough Draft.
Walmart stores closed in 2024
So far, Walmart has closed the following stores in 2024:
- San Diego, California – February 9
- El Cajon, California – February 9
- Columbus, Ohio – February 16
- West Covina, California – March 29
- Towson, Maryland – April 5
- Granite Bay, California – April 12
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin – May 19
- Fremont, California – May 24
- Aurora, Colorado – June 7
Other customers said the images brought back memories of measures imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The store closure is set to impact around 300 staffers.
Walmart bosses have confirmed workers can move to another store or pocket severance pay.
A Walmart Neighborhood Market outlet in Marietta, Georgia, will also close on July 12.
The pending closures will come just weeks after a Walmart supermarket in Colorado permanently shuttered.
This was the neighborhood store. I’m just upset
Monica Buckley
The U.S. Sun has reported how execs have decided to close outlets across California, Maryland, Ohio, and Wisconsin in recent months.
A total of two dozen Walmart stores permanently closed across 2023.
Walmart bosses often cite underperformance as the reason behind shutdowns but the beloved grocery chain is not the only retailer impacted by crime.
Last fall, Target chiefs were forced to close nine stores because of organized retail crime.
Whole Foods Market bosses closed the chain’s flagship store in San Francisco because of crime.
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In 2023, Nordstrom and Anthropologie were among the chains that shuttered outlets in San Francisco.
Local officials were dismayed by the shutdowns and often linked the reason to crime and lawlessness.
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https://www.the-sun.com/news/11795294/walmart-store-closing-georgia-atlanta-crime/