A London Drugs store is shown In Vancouver on Wednesday Oct. 18, 2023. London Drugs president Clint Mahlman says the company has no plans to close stores due to escalating violence and theft, though the issue has reached a "crisis point" for Canadian retailers.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nono Shen
VANCOUVER – London Drugs president Clint Mahlman says the company has no plans to close stores due to escalating violence and theft, though the issue has reached a “crisis point” for Canadian retailers.
Mahlman says the company was disappointed to learn that a Vancouver city councillor said on social media that London Drugs was considering closing one of its main stores in the city, at the intersection of Granville and Georgia streets, due to crime.
He says there’s no truth to the statement and it needlessly worried staff and customers at the store, which he says remains a safe place to both shop and work.
Mahlman says the company has invested “significant resources” in safety measures and closing any locations would be a last resort, and a matter between London Drugs and its landlords and employees.
He says retail theft and escalating violence has been an issue for many years, and working with police and government to combat the rise in organized theft remains a large concern.
Mahlman says there’s been no decisions made about closing stores due to crime, but it’s not out of the question if nothing changes, and policymakers need to take heed of the toll on businesses caused by thefts and violence.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2023.
