CNBC report contradicts Target’s reason for closing Ballard store

A CNBC investigation shows that the Ballard and University District’s Target locations were not as crime-ridden as other locations the retailer chose to keep open in Seattle.

The report, released earlier this week, revealed that other locations in Seattle dealt with more crime than the two stores Target chose to shutter.

For example, the CNBC report found that between January 2021 and Sept. 2023, the Ballard store at 1448 NW Market St had 235 incidents of crime. The University District store at 4535 University Way NE had 395 incidents.

By contrast, the Northgate store had 901 incidents, and the downtown location at 140 2nd Ave had 878 incidents. However, Target has kept those locations open.

The Ballard store closed in October along with eight other stores around the country. In September, Target released the following statement to explain the closures:

In this case, we cannot continue operating these stores because theft and organized retail crime are threatening the safety of our team and guests, and contributing to unsustainable business performance. We know that our stores serve an important role in their communities, but we can only be successful if the working and shopping environment is safe for all.

The other shuttered stores were in Portland, San Francisco, and New York City. Target said theft and organized crime made it too dangerous to keep them open.