By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
“Corporate racism.” “Disinvestment.” ”A broken promise.” That’s the criticism Walmart is getting from activists and politicians for its abrupt decision to close half of its Chicago stores only a few years after agreeing to expand in the city as part of its “corporate racial justice initiative” in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Four stores are closing: three in the lower-income neighborhoods of Chatham, Kenwood and Little Village and another in Lakeview. Walmart says the stores simply aren’t profitable “due to a combination of our sales, product margin and expenses” and lose the company “tens of millions of dollars a year.”
Perhaps Walmart would have stayed – as it originally promised – if it saw any chance of improvement in the city’s trajectory. Outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s failed four-year term saw crime worsen, taxes increase and dysfunction skyrocket.
But instead of a turnaround, Chicagoans made Brandon Johnson the next mayor. Johnson blames corporations for causing poverty and plans to target them with tax hikes to fund his many “investments” and social programs. He’s also on record for calls to “defund the police.”
Couple those words with the city’s already-high crime rate and taxes and it’s easy to see why Walmart would want to cut its losses. (Of note, eight of Walmart’s 22 planned closures nationally for 2023 are in Illinois – see appendix).
Start with crime
A jump in Chicago crime has definitely made business increasingly more difficult, chasing out the likes of Citadel and Ken Griffin and leading to warnings from McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski. Chicago has led the nation in homicides for 11 straight years, as Wirepoints recently reported in its 75-city homicide survey, and overall crime is up again another 45 percent this year after last year’s increase of 41 percent.
Wirepoints broke down the city’s crime data and found 5,088 reported major crimes in Chatham, Kenwood, Little Village and Lakeview in 2022. That was 43 percent more than in 2021, when crimes totaled 3,555.
The numbers also show that crime pays in those neighborhoods. Arrest rates in 2022 were dismally low at 5 percent, just like in the rest of Chicago. Kenwood is the worst off, with just 21 arrests recorded vs. 618 crimes reported.
For Walmart, the more direct hit from lawlessness comes from theft. Reported thefts, including retail theft, in the four communities totaled over 15,800 in the last four years. Just 7 percent resulted in arrests.
And keep in mind these are only reported crimes – the actual amount of theft is likely much higher than that.
Then there’s property taxes
Businesses have to pay big property taxes to operate in the Windy City. Chicago’s commercial entities pay the highest property taxes in the country when compared to the nation’s largest cities, according to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
The Institute reports on the tax rate for each state’s largest city (Chicago and New York get two cities each) and Chicago commercial properties pay, on average, an effective property tax rate of 4.01 percent on properties valued at $1 million.
That highest-burden is the case whether the properties in Chicago are worth $25 million or just $100,000.
And then there’s the mayor
Finally, listening to Brandon Johnson’s own words is enough to make any business reconsider their stay in Chicago.
There’s his push for defunding the police, including his 2020 comments that the defund movement is “not a slogan, it’s an actual real political goal.” And his comments as a Cook County Commissioner: “Reducing the sheriff’s budget is a case that I believe that we want…there is no number big enough.”
Johnson also reiterated his disdain for corporations just one day after he was elected when he blamed them for poverty and violence. “We have large corporations. Seventy percent of large corporations in the city of Chicago — in the state of Illinois, did not pay a corporate tax…And it’s that type of restraint on our budget that has caused the type of disinvestment that has led to poverty, of course that has led to violence.”
*******
For sure, losing businesses in struggling neighborhoods is a problem for many, in particular seniors. But much of the reaction to Walmart totally ignores where the real blame lies.
Take WGN9’s reporting on the closings: “With one single and abrupt announcement, the nation’s largest retailer appears to have sunk four Chicago neighborhoods deeper into a food desert.” Nothing about the city’s own failures.
At some point, Chicagoans and the media need to start holding the city’s leadership accountable for the high crime, punishing taxes and never-ending dysfunction.
If it’s not too late.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- Chicago Public Schools wants help with massive deficits despite billions in federal aid, plummeting enrollment
- What Chicago requires immediately is deterrence. Stop the bleed. Fast.
- Chicago’s pursuit of ‘criminal justice reform’ an utter failure: Windy City homicides top nation for 11th year in a row with crime still rising.
- More cops on Chicago’s streets won’t help until criminals are prosecuted and sentenced
- It will take exceptional political courage to end Chicago’s ‘crisis of values.’ Good luck.
- Chicago’s progressive agenda has been destructive for black communities
Appendix: Walmart planned store closures 2023
Arkansas: 3701 SE Dodson Road, Bentonville (Pick-up only concept)
Washington, DC: 99 H Street NW, Washington
Georgia: 1801 Howell Mill Rd NW, Atlanta, 835 M.L.K. Jr Dr NW, Atlanta
Florida:, 6900 US Highway 19 North, Pinellas Park (Neighborhood Market concept)
Hawaii: 1032 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu
Illinois:
- 17550 South Halsted St, Homewood
- 12690 S. Route 59, Plainfield
- 840 N. McCormick Blvd, Lincolnwood (Pick-up only concept)
- 1511 Camp Jackson Road, Cahokia
- 8431 S. Stewart Ave, Chicago
- 4720 S. Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago
- 2844 N. Broadway, Chicago
- 2551 W. Cermak Road, Chicago
Indiana: 3701 Portage Road, South Bend
Minnesota: 1200 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center
New Mexico: 301 San Mateo Blvd. SE, Albuquerque
Oregon: 4200 82nd Ave. SE, Portland, 1123 N Hayden Meadows Dr., Portland
Texas: 24919 Westheimer Pkwy, Katy (Neighborhood Market concept)
Washington: 11400 Hwy. 99, Everett
Wisconsin: 10330 W. Silver Spring Dr, Milwaukee
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
The authors of this article their homework. The poverty level of Kenwood is 1.1%. In fact, their are more mansions in Kenwood than apartment buildings. And the poverty level of Chatham is 2.3%. Also, one Walmart was located in West Chatham, not Chatham. And the Kenwood Walmart was actually located across the street from the western border of Kenwood, and is located in Grand Boulevard and not Kenwood.
Armed guards now at the University Club. Is that any way to live?
Kenwood is not a “lower-income” neighborhood with a median income of over $52k annually. The Walmart closing in West Chatham is within a 3-5 minute walking distance of an Aldi, Jewel-Osco, Food 4 Less, Lowes, Home Depot, and several small businesses (clothing, beauty supply stores, etc) all of which seem to be thriving, were there before Walmart and have heavier traffic in and out than Walmart. The Walmart in Little Village is within a 3-4 minute walking distance of Pete’s Market, Fairplay, and at least 4 locally owned grocery stores all of which are less expensive, carry better and more… Read more »
Are there businesses left to steal from or is it time to farm in the ghetto?
Good question.
I work for walmart ,they are a business who wants to actually save you money ,I’ve seen our profit margins around 1 to 3 percent, also looting doesn’t help makes decisions much easier, good for them pulling out if sales are down,and looting and decisions from government don’t wanna arrest anyone what’s the point to stay there!
If its crime that’s causing the departure, maybe some of the people in the community should learn to respect the business in the community and realize their importance. The good people need to stand up against the bad.
John Walmart
Are those complaining about Walmart’s departure from the city actually indicting their own race? That must be the case when one looks at the demographics of those who are the one stealing from these stores.
Welcome to Batman’s Gotham City. Where the elite class enjoys theater while the rest of the city falls into decay. Don’t worry about this past weekend’s violence all we need are more social workers to discuss their issues.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/6-tvs-stolen-from-chatham-walmart
The poverty and oppression made them do it! Oh , and all of those greedy corporations Johnson blamed for crime.
Notice there were shenanigans last night in milllenium park. NYPost covered it! Not a word from the Trib or Sun Times. Will Carter receive a new campaign ribbon?
The local main stream media in this town is a complete, obscene joke.
Mockingbird CIA are not media
This story made national news in conservative media, right up there with the continuing bud light saga. As I repeatedly say, Chicago is THE laughing stock of the red states and conservative media. The libs in this world live in a bubble where they are completely oblivious to the ridicule and mocking Chicago receives for its insanity.
Buh Bye Sheeetcago!! Walmart decided to shut 17 of its stores across nine states after CEO Doug McMillon warned in December that theft was the highest it’s ever been around the country and if it did not slow down, stores would have to close. And the company announced on Tuesday it would be shutting half its Chicago stores, mostly located on the crime-ridden city’s south and west sides, because they are losing tens of millions each year. The stores on Stewart Avenue, South Cottage Grove Avenue, North Broadway and West Cermak Road had ‘not been profitable’ for several years, even after efforts to turn them around, according… Read more »
Gee, what could the commonality be?
Just watching JB lie on tv…. Said the economy under Trump was suffering. He’s mentally deficient, dishonest, and Flannery Fired Up let it sit without challenge. Sad to see a journalist so complicit.
Mockingbird CIA are not journalists.
Hmm, was Detroit was full of racist corporations too?
Hmm… if I recall terrectly, Old Joe, Detroit once had the highest rate of black home ownership in the nation. This was back when Detroit had the highest per capita income in the nation/world, along with the highest rate of home ownership… now this all seems like fairy tales from ancient times…
The cause, a simple 5 letter word….Crime.
The silence on the issue of theft is deafening.
They will now turn these into shelters for all the illegals that have been let in. What a joke.
These stores were doomed from the start and city personnel conned Walmart into building them.
Three of the four were smaller convenience wal-marts not full stores. That model doesn’t really work well for some reason. People want their 100,000 sq ft walmarts. The full sized store closed, if I had to guess, because a store in a crowded urban area can’t survive on Government Welfare customers alone. They need to sell bikes, fishing gear, tvs, gardening, kitchen applies, etc, to make a profit. Most of the customer base got a check on the 1st of the month, bought the bare essentials, and purchased the rest of their needs on teh black market with cash instead.… Read more »
The WalMart grocery store in Des Plaines closed a year or two ago. Perhaps their small grocery store model isn’t suited to the area. The WalMart store in Mt Prospect thrives.
Not all retail models work everywhere – many years ago Walmart also shuttered the Sam’s in Rolling Meadows.
Closing stores isn’t an emotional decision- it’s a financial decision.
Wal-Mart grocery prices just could not compare to near by food pantries. When people become accustomed to getting free food, they feel entitled to free food.
You completely missed the reason this is happening.
I’ll take crime, taxes and dysfunction for 100 please. No way I can lose.
Walmart is not closing any stores. The people in these neighborhoods and the city’s politicians are forcing them to close.
For decades we have heard the cries about “food deserts.” The retailers are blamed. But nobody dares mention the theft. Nobody.
Years ago I worked for major grocery retailer in Phoenix. As it was closing its last remaining store in a troubled area one of the executives told me the reason: rampant theft.
The solution is very simple. Go in, get your stuff, and pay for it. Easy!
Bingo! No more food deserts.
It’s probably more than theft alone. Walmart was probably acting as a dollar store type retail but was paying for a big box footprint. A big walmart can’t survive on government benefit transfers alone in low income communities. A dollar store in a low income can because the store is 1/10th the size and doesn’t sell anything more than junk and bare essentials.
What of the Homewood store closing? It had in theory all of the big store attributes associated with Wal Mart. It likely had a theft problem. The theft problem and the closing is a financial decision, but there’s more to it than high loss numbers. When these stores understand that there is no practical way to stop the thieves (especially given the liability and safety challenges to the corporation and employees), they see no reason to continue doing business at the location. I do agree with your general view about the local economics of a location. But theft is a… Read more »
It all plays into the equation, I think. They said the stores have been unprofitable during their entire existence.
My mom worked at “Wally World” for 25 years. The amount of shoplifting she told us about was staggering. And this was in Bloomington-Normal. Wonder how bad it was in the Chicago stores?
Absolutely correct Jeff, number one issue THEFT and they just don’t get it my wife works for them and it is outlandish what they shrink out.
The only people who use the term “corporate racism” are the same people who feel that the only reason businesses exist is to give free stuff to black criminals. The mindset that “it’s insured” mean they have zero understanding of the real world.
Look at the bright side. Maybe they can turn those big empty Walmart buildings into pot dispensaries. Those neighborhoods will welcome that.
Excellent point – “it’s insured” is a comment that riles me.
Insurance doesn’t exist to subsidize theft – I hope that message gets through to the Chicago powers that be. Especially “payment plan” Johnson.
Just wondering that if Mayor BJ finds that the Root Causes of increased criminal activity in Chicago is more related to lax prosecution of criminal acts than systemic racism, will he alter his intervention strategies?
No. He will make the issue fit his narrative. He will send a social worker in to talk to them. He won’t allow for anyone to call the police. Chicago is on the last leg of its three legged stool, regular not racist stool. This will do them in and Johnson is going to fall on his rear end.
BJ will never acknowledge that.
Just sit back and enjoy the s..t show. A piece of Illinois limestone has more common sense
Than all the idiots at city hall and county.
No saving anything now.
Wave bye-bye
Yep.
The one down vote must be B. Johnson.
Perhaps the city can lease the closed stores to house illegals – seems that’s all that is growing in Chicago other than crime and taxes.
They are fleeing because they were making too much money. They felt guilty. Let PPF and his fellow lackies (James) run the stores. It is so much fun and money. Pay more taxes and enjoy life.
Yes PPF and James can continue to brag about how nobody can afford their services. The very act of educating the young bankrupts the citizens and is a disservice to the students. Win! Win! The very act of operating the state bankrupts the citizens. Win! It’s working it’s working! The thing is, these union cheerleaders know darn well that their contract rights do not supersede the right to a balanced budget. Greed has blinded them to the facts. Just like Dred Scott they would argue that black folks are only 3/5th of a person. After all some judges said so.… Read more »
PT and Aaron, why do you demonize PPF? He didn’t tell the voters to elect Pritzker, Lightfoot, or Brandon Johnson. Maybe he is benefitting from the insanely corrupt Chicago/Illinois pension system. Maybe he is/was a member of a corrupt public union. Maybe he is receiving (or due) an outrageous pension. He didn’t make the rules. Fair or not, the city/state government agreed to contracts, and both parties should be held accountable. The voters seem to be fine with how the Dems bow to the unions since they increasingly remain in power. PPF simply voices an opinion that isn’t popular here,… Read more »
Easy, PPF is part of the problem not part of the solution. If PPF cannot digest the balanced budget act properly that is not my problem. Either one supports the constitution or one is a traitor. Now, what is the intent of the balanced budget amendment? The war of northern aggression was fought to free the slaves then were told they were only 3/5th of a person by a few judges. Now a few judges say the state can ignore the balanced budget amendment and they cheer and applaud. They are traitors, not demons.
You must be a traitor Aaron according to your own words.
The budget requirements only state that estimated appropriations should not exceed estimated revenue. The state has done that. Even if they didn’t, it doesn’t mean other parts of the constitution are void.
It’s not my fault that you can’t digest basic law.
“The budget requirements only state that estimated appropriations should not exceed estimated revenue. The state has done that.”
That’s humorous. And very naive. Borrowing counts as revenue according to Illinois funny money accounting. Does that stupidity exist in any other business? PPD, I’m truly surprised you’re comfortable with that sleight of hand financial (mis)management, that you can’t digest such a basic con game.
I’m not comfortable with our budgeting. In fact, I’ve been saying that any additional revenue should be plowed into pensions to fix the structural deficits. I am merely stating that the budgets aren’t unconstitutional. I can disagree with them and they also can be legal.
You are not very intelligent. Hope you are not counting 100% on your state pension.
Your comment seems something of a “sticks and stones” infantile fit. It says more about you than your target.
Opinions vary. Although I would love for you to point out where I’m wrong. I’m willing to learn.
PPF – I welcome your contributions because frankly you are intelligent. You do focus on the legal aspects of the pension situation which I do find repetitive because in Illinois the legal issues are settled, whether we like them or not. I think where you miss the mark – and I get it is a severe problem – is the blithe way in which you propose to solve the problem through tax increases. Nice in theory. But it is easy to talk about raising taxes but much harder to collect. And the political class in Illinois has never shown any… Read more »
PFF is still in the bargaining phase of DABDA believing that higher taxes will solve the country’s worst state pension system. But he’s trying to bargain with basic math. 2+2 doesn’t not equal 5, no matter how many times the leftist tries to make you believe it (this is a real thing, BTW)
I point out the legal aspects because it is a real hurdle to any changes proposed. You’re correct that the political issues of actually raising and collecting taxes (or cutting spending) are also very real. The difference is when the excrement hits the fan the political issues become less relevant as there are only a few options. I agree that Chicago is in much greater danger than the rest of the state. The state has much greater ability to collect additional tax revenue than the city. With that said, I think New York City near bankruptcy in the 70’s serves… Read more »
Denial Anger Bargaining <——————– YOU ARE HERE Depression Acceptance You believe the country’s worst run pension systems are going to somehow survive on higher taxes, reduced spending and a bailout, with little hair cut. I’d believe you more if we were discussion the #20, or #40 pension in the country. But we’re #49 or #50. Things are bleak. This sucker is going down. It’s already baked in the caked. The IL pensions (city, county and state) are going straight off the cliff Thelma and Louise style. My guess is that in the next few years is that the worst pension… Read more »
Side note- I made a comment and link that is on the Chicago Public Schools article below. Would like your thoughts about the voters voted for this. Thanks!
I have said before that putting the state and Chicago into receivership for bankruptcy is probably the only way out of the mess the politicians have created. I am not sure it will ever happen but unless drastic measures are made (this for sure won’t happen because no one has the political courage) they will go downhill fast.
Yes. Myopic focus on strictly the legal aspect of the situation is why Shylock is the villain and not the hero of The Merchant of Venice.
Besides the legal aspect there is also the moral aspect. The state promised their employees that if they worked they would receive a pension in their retired years. To steal from these people after they fulfilled their end of the bargain is theft. The thief is never the hero.
Shylock combined with Marie Antoinette – let them eat cake, no tax burden is too great to keep the fine steaks and wines and 3% increase coming every year.
People spending their own money on steaks and fine wine is none of your business. It’s their money and not yours. If people are upset they need to start electing leaders that stop running up the credit card.
Okay, and that’s the common man’s viewpoint on this issue. But, why have the courts never put a stop to this practice? They can only do what the laws demand, and the IL Constitution didn’t spell-out what’s required for a “balanced budget” other than to say the projected revenues and expenditures must counter-balance. Apparently from a legal standpoint borrowed monies count as revenue. Who woulda guessed?
Technically it’s not even borrowed money because the state only owes the money to the pensioners when due and not the pension funds. So it’s not counted as revenue just money that doesn’t need to be paid in the current year.
It’s not a common man’s viewpoint. Borrowed funds are not projected revenues by any sane definition. No business counts borrowed funds as revenue. None. Debit cash, credit liability. Very simple accounting concept. Except Illinois. The constitution was poorly written and the politicians found a loophole and have exploited it for decades.
“ It’s not a common man’s viewpoint. Borrowed funds are not projected revenues by any sane definition. No business counts borrowed funds as revenue. None.”. Your first sentence seems you you want to reject what I had to say. Yet, strangely enough what followed was exactly what I was trying to convey. So, calm down. We agree.
Any lawyer surely knows a law can only be interpreted as written rather than how someone wishes it were written. To that end any law cannot be expected to mean things not clearly stated. Otherwise what we have here is a failure to communicate as evidenced by our definitional conflict of interest at the moment.
What you want the constitution to say and what it says are two different things. It doesn’t say expenditures should not exceed “revenue”, it states “Proposed expenditures shall not exceed funds estimated to be available for the fiscal year as shown in the budget.
I would hope the state would submit a truly honest and balanced budget but that is not a requirement of our constitution the way some of you interpret it.
I think we all agree the constitution is abysmally flawed. That shouldn’t justify the politicians driving the state into financial oblivion, but they just can’t seem to help themselves. Budgeting on a false premise – treating bond proceeds no differently than tax revenues as funds estimated to be available – doesn’t justify their actions.
Schemers gotta scheme, don’t you know? That’s what some of the higher priced lawyers do for a living–look for loopholes where they can meet the letter of the law if not the usually accepted meaning of its verbiage.
Agree 100%. My original point stands though. Aaron is making the claim that the budget isn’t constitutional and as such he doesn’t think any contract with the state is valid because of these budgets. They are completely constitutional and also lousy but it’s not an excuse to get out of paying the states bills.
Is this a joke? Are you seriously questioning the intent of the BBA? Good grief! I suppose gender id is confusing to you also, and almond milk is made from almonds. Folks, this person is teaching children !
Not at the expense of my right to a balanced budget.
Are you literally trying to say that if the budget isn’t balanced then all contracts aren’t valid? You have no such right. Also, the word “balanced” doesn’t even appear in the constitution. So please point to the words of the constitution and how they are being violating. The constitution clearly states the Gov must present a budget that estimates appropriations and expenses. An estimate, that is all. The Gov could estimate another 10 billion in revenue that never materializes and he would still be following the constitution. If you want to balance the budget then more taxes are in order… Read more »
Yes. They are unconstitutional. Duh !
You’re completely wrong Aaron. You still haven’t even been able to show the budget is unconstitutional let alone other contracts. You can say it over and over but it won’t make it true.
Sir, the budget is unconstitutional because it is not balanced.
Aaron, if you are still in Illinois, I invite you to check out Tennessee. It’s possibly the most conservative state and it’s only one day drive back to Chicago. If you want to fight against the public pensions, getting out of Illinois is the only realistic option. Also, the weather is better.
I am in Oklahoma but still pay Illinois income tax and real estate tax.
Aaron, that’s a hugely important point. Americans everywhere pay for the madness going on in Illinois, in countless ways. Companies like Walmart spread their losses to other consumers and shareholders, Illinoisans pay less in federal taxes and take more federal assistance, schools like CPS suck up more of federal education spending…..
Mark, that means it’s working.
PPF and crew are unable to see that they are just tools being used to further the “that means it’s working” agenda. Everything must be unsustainable for the NWO to be ushered in. Roll your eyes if you want but at the end of the day, unsustainable pensions, government, education (dumbing down), dollar inflation etc. etc is official government policy. “But muh pension!” Is just the rally cry of the enemy whether they know it or not. The only thing that is going to save the state and our country is a return to the values expressed in the bill… Read more »
“Civic uprising?” So that’s the PC way of saying “riots and looting.”
Say it like it is – rampant theft and unstable governance drove WalMart to close the stores.
Maybe Walmart has finally begun heeding Warren Buffett’s advice about avoiding cities that are working hard at going bankrupt. Combined with concerns for safety of its employees and customers, looting, violence, theft and increasingly higher taxes, Phase 1 is now complete. Shutting down their remaining stores will be the other shoe that drops. Let’s go Brandon!
Walmart is usually a smart player — why it ever thought that Chicago was a good investment is mystifying.
After the Black Lives Matter Rioters burned and looted Walmart stores in 2020, Walmart should have cut its losses right then and dumped Chicago. Surprised that no one brought a shareholder derivative lawsuit against Walmart for that decision.
goof investment is a great way to describe it. Apropos typo there.
Oops!
That’s what I get for typing with my elbows.
Walmart was shamed into opening in the city by the diversity and Inclusion mob. Somebody decided ; let’s do it and see how long it will survive. I bet they had an unwritten agreement with the city if losses exceed X, we leave. It’s a two way street. You want a store, don’t disrespect it!
“Lest we forget…” “Walmart courted a reluctant Chicago and waged a PR campaign by sponsoring a farmer’s market, passing out free watermelon and promising diversity and jobs to the formerly incarcerated… outgoing alderman Brookins said company officials told him the store was losing money because of higher security costs and theft…” https://www.wbez.org/stories/walmarts-store-closures-in-chicago-disappoint/4e4506b1-7013-4e17-815c-88cb053f3ef1 Walmart fought hard to open the stores now exiting Chicago’s South and West sides By Sunday, four Walmart locations are set to close, a shock to those who remember the retailer clawing its way to do business in the city. By Natalie Moore, Clare Lane April 14, 2023… Read more »
“Walmart courted a reluctant Chicago and waged a PR campaign by sponsoring a farmer’s market, passing out free watermelon
Really?? No one thought that was the least bit racially insulting? Wouldn’t gift cards have been a better idea?
https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/12/how-watermelons-became-a-racist-trope/383529/
Who doesn’t love watermelon in the summertime? Take off your racial glasses. Apparently only you seem dismayed by this.
I don’t have an issue with watermelon as a racist trope.
But in this day and age, corporations usually avoid even innocent moves that can be weaponized by woke lunatics. Remember the Taco Bell ads with the talking chihuahua
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8sZ1DWsAHE
Taco Bell has to pull them off the air after a phony outrage claim that the ad was racist.
Too many sensitive snowflakes. And then the mob moves on to attack something/someone else. Y’all need some humor, people!
If your a Walmart, Target or any other big box retailer operating on thin margins in the city you got to be worried w union organizer mayor CTU/Brandon & progressive political climate your store being targeted for unionization is inevitable and just one more reason to cut your losses and close up shop. Chicago’s killed it’s small mom&pop retailers off w the exception of upperincome areas to feed the machine long ago. So what retailers are going to be left?
Have any of Chicago’s elected leaders ever signed the front of checks? Walmart said they lost $$$ for 17 years! I think Walmart saw the possibility of the loses increasing (possibly a looting spree during the Democrat convention), and finally pulled the plug. It’s going to get worse for those stores remaining.