By Illinois Review
Another major retailer is pulling out of Chicago after years of rising crime, theft, and disorder under Democrat leadership.
Walgreens confirmed it will close its longtime store in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood on June 4, ending more than two decades of operation in the community. The company says the location simply became impossible to sustain financially because of rampant theft, violence, and declining business.
According to Walgreens, the store lost more than $1 million last year alone. Theft reportedly accounted for roughly 16 percent of all sales – nearly four times higher than the company average nationwide.
The company also cited ongoing violent incidents and serious safety concerns for employees and customers.
Walgreens said it spent nearly $400,000 per year on security measures, including guards, locked merchandise cases, and other anti-theft efforts. But even with those costly protections, the situation continued to deteriorate.
For years, Chicago residents have watched Democrat politicians downplay retail theft, weaken law enforcement, and push soft-on-crime policies that send a message there are few consequences for criminal behavior. Businesses are left to absorb the damage while working families lose access to basic services.
The closure is especially devastating for seniors and residents without reliable transportation. Local Alderman William Hall criticized Walgreens and called the shutdown “corporate abandonment,” while protesters accused the company of creating another “pharmacy desert” on the South Side.
But critics say local leaders are ignoring the root cause of the problem.
Businesses cannot survive when theft becomes routine and violence becomes part of daily operations. Walgreens noted that prescription sales at the store had also dropped nearly 30 percent over the last five years, adding to the financial strain.
The company says prescriptions will be transferred to nearby stores and customers will receive 90 days of free prescription delivery.
Still, many residents fear this is just the latest sign of decline in neighborhoods already struggling with crime and economic instability.
The Chatham closure is not an isolated case. Walgreens has shuttered several stores across Chicago’s South and West sides in recent years under similar circumstances. Other retailers have also scaled back operations or fled entirely from high-crime areas in Chicago.
Meanwhile, Illinois Democrats continue insisting crime is improving while everyday residents see stores locking up toothpaste, pulling products off shelves, or closing altogether.
For many Illinois families, the Walgreens shutdown is another painful reminder that when public safety collapses, entire communities suffer the consequences.
