Goodwill closes 2 Seattle stores citing 'escalating theft, safety concerns, and rising rents'

On Monday, Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington announced plans to close its South Lake Union and University District nonprofit thrift store locations due to “escalating theft, safety concerns, and rising rents” which “have made it increasingly difficult to maintain a secure and sustainable environment for both employees and shoppers.” The final day the stores will be open and accepting donations is September 22. The closure is the latest in a retail exodus that continues in Seattle due to rampant crime and high operating costs.

Derieontay Sparks, Sr. Vice President, Customer Experience, Retail, and Revenue Growth at Evergreen Goodwill said in a statement obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, “The decision to close these stores was not made lightly. Both locations have experienced a troubling rise in property damage, break-ins, and safety concerns for our employees. These challenges, coupled with rising rent and operational costs, have made it unsustainable to continue operating in these areas.”

The South Lake Union store at 411 Westlake Ave. N opened in 2012 and the University District store, located at 4552 University Way NE, opened in 2008. Employees affected by the closures will be offered positions at other Goodwill stores in Capitol Hill and Ballard.

According to the statement, proceeds from the sale of donated items at Evergreen Goodwill stores across the region, “fund Goodwill’s free job training, education, and job placement programs. In the last ten years, Evergreen Goodwill has served over 57,000 individuals at 5 local job training centers where students have access to free classes like Computer and Mobile Basics, Customer Service Essentials, and ESOL and job placement services.”

Sparks noted, “Donations from the community fuel our stores, and all proceeds from our stores power our free Job Training and Education Programs. Without our shoppers and generous donors we simply couldn’t do what we do. Thank you for the support of the community in South Lake Union and the University District over the years, and while we are sad to leave, we hope fans of Goodwill will continue to visit us at our other nearby locations.”

Earlier this month, Starbucks announced with no warning the closure of one of its busiest Seattle locations right near the iconic Pike Place Market during the height of tourism season. In 2022, the coffee giant closed 5 locations due to concerns about employee safety. Nike, Lululemon, and other major retailers have closed in recent months citing the rampant crime and high costs of doing business in the city. If the trend continues, many are concerned that the Emerald City could become the next San Francisco.

A recent study ranked Washington as the most dangerous state to live in for 2024 due to violent crime and property crime rates, traffic-related fatalities, and total law enforcement employees per capita. Earlier this year it was revealed that the Seattle Police Department is still “seeing more separations than new hires” and is now at its lowest staffing levels since the 1950s. The Evergreen State also has the highest rates of burglary and auto theft in the US, and also holds the dubious honor of being the state most affected by retail crime.