PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Marcy Landolfo opened Rains PDX in Northeast Portland in September 2019. But now, 3 years later, the store is permanently closed because crime in the area has gotten to be too much, she said.
“Due to the constant and unrelenting criminal behavior coupled with escalating safety issues for our employees, we’ve decided to permanently close,” a sign on the front door of their store at 77 NE Grand Avenue read, in part.
“My decision to close was not an easy one but as things escalated from not just financial impact to safety issues, I had to make the call,” she told KOIN 6 News. “It’s just not worth gambling anyone’s safety or wellbeing.”
Landolfo told KOIN 6 News the break-ins at the store began during the 2020 riots but the vandalism and theft ramped up recently.
“Everyone is focusing on the 15 break-ins,” she said. “There’s a lot of other shenanigans going on during our working hours.”
She said it started spiraling, including instances where people who were either on drugs or in some kind of mental health crisis would come in and exhibit “unsafe, criminal behavior” and become enraged.
That included “unsavory individuals coming in here and scaring the crap out of my employees.”
Some of the windows have been replaced from what she called “vandalism and senseless crime.”
After several claims, though, her insurance was dropped.
“Small businesses have a lot stacked up against us. We have no backup from law enforcement. In my opinion, from the officers I’ve talked to that have responded, they are just as frustrated. They want to serve and protect people, they don’t want this crime happening either, but, they have to prioritize gunshots, murders, and homicides,” she said. “I don’t think anyone with a pulse can say they’re happy with how things are going in this city.”
This is an “everyone” problem, she said, and everyone needs to figure out a way to get a handle on crime in Portland.
“People want to politicize this. But let’s take the politics out of this,” Landolfo said. “No matter where you sit on the political spectrum, I think we can all agree that criminal behavior is criminal behavior and should not be tolerated.”
Other businesses in the city have already either made the same decision or are considering it. Margulis Jewelers closed its doors after 90 years in Portland citing crime and the mess downtown. Starbucks closed 3 of its locations in the city. And just last week Salt & Straw said they may move their headquarters out of Portland.