Name: Rampant Crime Causes Whole Foods to Close San Francisco Flagship Store
Uploaded: 2023-04-12T07:20:47.000Z
Description: Just one year after opening, the Whole Foods Market store at 1185 Market St. is closing this week due to crime and public drug use.

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Citizens React to Communist Cuba in Crisis

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Federal Agencies Announce ‘Summer Surge’ of Law Enforcement into DC Ahead of 250th Anniversary

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Trump Administration Reports Zero Border Releases

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

US to Host First Ever World Cup Final Halftime Show, Featuring Shakira, Madonna

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Californians React as Trump Calls for Gas Tax Suspension

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

China’s Broken Promises Loom Over New Trade Deals

Chris Bob is a reporter for NTD and a host of "Profiles of Service." He is also a small business owner. Chris graduated from Union College with a concentration in politics and religion in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Chris Bob

House Passes First Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriations Bill

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

Cavs, Spurs Can Clinch as NBA Playoffs Resume

Savannah Pointer is a politics reporter for The Epoch Times. She can be reached at savannah.pointer@epochtimes.us

Savannah Hulsey Pointer

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Health News

Texas Children's Hospital to Open First-Ever Detransition Clinic Under Deal With DOJ

Citizens Honor Police for Their Service and Sacrifice

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 16)

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Just one year after opening, the Whole Foods Market store at 1185 Market St. is closing this week due to crime and public drug use.

“To ensure the safety of our Team Members, we have made the difficult decision to close the Trinity store for the time being,” a Whole Foods Market spokesperson told Epoch Times in an email. “All Team Members will be transferred to one of our nearby locations.”

“We have taken numerous actions to reduce security incidents in our store to avoid this outcome,” the spokesperson said, adding that it was no longer an option to “compromise the safety of our Team Members.”

The store, one of the largest supermarkets in Downtown San Francisco, shortened its operating time by three hours in October, hoping to reduce the amount of theft and “hostile” visitors.

At that time, the store had at least three guards on duty.

The store enforced new bathroom rules in November after syringes and pipes were found in the restroom.

San Francisco District Supervisor Matt Dorsey said he was “incredibly disappointed but sadly unsurprised” by the store’s shutdown in a Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/mattdorsey/status/1645547717714915328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1645547717714915328%7Ctwgr%5E7d4adf9f5c64b3f2fb187f93629f45770c34a05e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsfstandard.com%2Fbusiness%2Fdowntown-san-francisco-whole-foods-market-closing%2F">thread</a> posted Money afternoon.

Dorsey regrets that the neighborhood had to wait a long time to get this kind of supermarket. “But we’re also well aware of problems they’ve experienced with drug-related retail theft, adjacent drug markets, and the many safety issues related to them,” he said.

The District 6 Supervisor attributed the problem to decades-long understaffing of law enforcement. “San Franciscans have been denied the benefits of a fully staffed police department for nearly 30 years,” he said, adding that the situation “has never been worse.”

Last year, a SF Police Union poll indicated that 54 percent of police officers were considering <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/san-franciscos-policies-leading-to-police-exodus-officer_4620559.html">leaving</a> the department in the near future. Police cited bloated red tape, overly strict policing policies, and demoralization by endless circles of catch and release of criminals as the leading causes.

Dorsey announced that he was drafting new legislation (<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23772322/cadr-sfpd-full-staffing-act.pdf">pdf</a>) with former prosecutor and current District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani to get the SF Police Department fully staffed within five years.

According to the San Francisco Standard, San Francisco City Hall officials predict a budget deficit of at least $730 million.

The 65,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market store opened in March last year, offering over 3,700 products from Northern Californian suppliers, including local farms, bakeries, wineries, craft beer breweries, and cheesemakers.

Whole Food Markets proudly called the new location a “flagship store” when it announced its opening on February 17 last year.

SAN FRANCISCO

crime

Videos

Business News

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Whole Foods Market

California

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Wim De Gent is a writer for NTD News, focusing primarily on U.S. and world stories.


Wim De Gent

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.