GOODER AND HARDER, SAN FRAN: Retail exodus: Another major chain announces store closure in San Francisco.

The loss of Nordstrom, a neighboring Saks Off 5th store and other global brands like Uniqlo, Gap and H&M hurts not only the city’s sales tax base and labor force, but also the vitality of critical downtown streets where tourists flock, helping shape San Francisco’s global reputation.

The city’s economic malaise was brought on by remote work and the pandemic, but some city officials and Nordstrom’s landlord also blamed an inadequate response to crime as a key reason for the spate of closures in the city’s chief shopping district…

Weeks of grim news have fueled a debate over public safety and how the city can best promote an economic recovery — or at least stop the bleeding of losing store after store, which feeds into fears of an economic “doom loop.”…

Nordstrom is still expanding in California despite the San Francisco closures. The company said last month it would open five new Rack stores…

And the stores that are left will everything behind plexiglass: San Francisco Target puts entire department on lockdown amid shoplifting crisis.