Chicago alderman accuses Walgreens of ‘corporate abandonment’ in Chatham

A Chicago alderman, angered by the upcoming closure of a Walgreens store over safety concerns, said the retail company should be charged with “first-degree abandonment of business.”

Ald. William Hall, along with several community members, held a news conference Monday to express their anger over the company’s decision to close the location in Chicago’s 6th Ward, Chatham neighborhood.

“Walgreens should be charged with first-degree abandonment of business,” Hall said. “The way they treat our elders should be a crime. The way they treat our families should be a crime.”

The store is scheduled to close on June 4. Fox News Digital has reached out to Hall’s office and Walgreens for further comment.

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Chicago Ald. William Hall denounced Walgreens’ decision to close a store in the city after citing theft and security concerns. Hall said the retail chain should be charged with “abandonment of business in the first degree.” (WFLD; Getty Images)

In a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago-area pharmacy chain cited theft and violent incidents as the main factors behind its decision to close the S. Cottage Grove Ave. store.

“Despite a series of efforts, including prior operational adjustments, these ongoing security challenges have made it increasingly difficult to maintain a secure environment for our team members and customers,” the company said. “While this was not an easy decision, safety must remain our top priority.”

Walgreens confirmed that employees at the location may transfer to other stores.

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Walgreens is closing a store in Chicago, angering community members and city leaders. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Hall stressed that the community is not “begging” Walgreens to stay, but argued that the company was wrong to leave residents without a place to fill their medical prescriptions. He warned the closure would create a “medication drought” for the elderly and residents with chronic health conditions.

“We’re not here to beg Walgreens to stay. We’re saying their decision is the wrong one,” Hall said. “In my opinion, this should be considered a first-degree corporate crime. The number of elderly people who will not have access to health care is monstrous.”

He further noted that Walgreens “sold out” all the local small businesses in the area when it initially opened.

Ald. Raymond Lopez, a Democrat, said he understood the community’s frustration but questioned the timing of the outrage.

“Where was this anger when stores in our communities were subjected to years and years of assault by criminals licensed to shoplift, vandalize and destroy neighborhood institutions?” »López asked. “Many leaders say this is simply a matter of insurance. They are wrong. Rampant crime has real-world consequences. This shutdown is the perfect example of that effect.”

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Walgreens has closed stores in other cities due to widespread theft.

In 2021, the chain closed several stores in the San Francisco area, citing organized retail crime.