Nike’s manufacturing outlet in Portland, Oregon reportedly will not reopen after being closed temporarily last fall due to “theft and safety issues.”
On Friday, the Portland Business Journal claimed that Nike had confirmed its decision in a phone call with the leaders of the neighborhood’s business association, the Soul District Business Association (SBDA).
The SBDA has described the verdict as “a major economic blow.”
To quote the SDBA’s executive director, “this news has landed like a lead balloon in our district,” written in a press statement by John Washington. Since the shop mysteriously closed in November owing to thievery and safety concerns, everyone has been waiting for something to happen. We were hoping that Nike, local officials, and community leaders would rebalance things after the chaos caused by the pandemic and protests. But at this point, it appears that we’ve lost.
When contacted for comment, Nike said on Fox News Digital that it cares “deeply about Portland’s North and Northeast community,” and that its store has provided “access and connection” to the brand for almost 40 years, “while serving as a catalyst for change through volunteerism, investments, and partnerships with non-profit organizations that benefit the community.”
Nike is relentless in its dedication to the North and Northeast Portland communities. Nike has announced that its store at 2650 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard would be closing permanently as part of the firm’s “reimagining of retail space” and that the company is “considering future locations as part of this community’s long term revitalization plan.”
To stay true to our heritage, we will consult with community groups and leaders to choose the most suitable new location. The future of our employees is a top priority, so we’re giving them a variety of opportunities to stay with Nike, the company said.
When the retail giant announced in February that it would no longer open the store that community activists had fought to get opened in the neighborhood, local ABC affiliate KATU reported that the company had offered to pay for off-duty police officers to help beef up security at the store on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
At the time, Portland Police voiced concerns that officers lacked the resources to meet Nike’s plan due to a lack of funding and personnel.
“We are aware of the letter, and I believe there will be a conversation in the future on the topic. That being said, there are several large roadblocks that would have to be overcome, including the fact that with the level of staffing we have, we struggle to even fill overtime for regular shifts at the precincts,” the police department told KATU earlier this year.
“Reinstituting a program that allows for sworn PPB officers to work overtime at the request of businesses is a huge personnel lift I don’t believe we’re equipped to accommodate at the moment,” it said.
