Let us be honest, for most of us in the cities of the world how we buy things is changing. Portland is one of the locations and the biggest problem is how to make something secure to prevent looting. Nothing will ever be one hundred percent proof, but there have been some Store models that have caught my attention, for better or for worse so I would like to share that with you today. Big chains and small have been feeling the sting and those who have been claiming everything is right as rain is once again wrong.

One more for me.

Anywho, big chains and small shops feeling the heat and with the issues especially in America there are just a lot of problems, and it is to the point where Walmart is closed down in my city, Walgreens is closing stores, small stores are getting railed by the past decisions of the city, state, and country and it seems that the turnaround is a mirage. One problem at the heart of all of this and something that people need to remember is thievery and destruction of property. A lot of people who support those actions, will say it is the insurance that will pick it up. The problem is the insurance also has a right to see that the Business is too risky and stop backing the premium.

I did some research calling for a business location next to Portland state where things like school supplies and some nerd stuff could be sold. I have to get insurance mind you to start a brick and mortar business in the city is because the city will fine me otherwise because it is necessary. Six companies, and full note I did explain after about halfway through I was researching to write on the cost of opportunity in the city and at large, and no one wanted to be quoted and named.

Something that I am not happy with, but I will respect and in doing so I got some very honest tidbits. Insurance looks at the crime rate in the area and in multiple ways for the formulas that determines their risk and if the risk is too high like in some companies idea of the city of Portland or in some areas of it, there will not be a premium offered. In the case of my idea that would mean it could not open and now the store is dead in the water. What was state by three separate agents had been that cities that cannot keep order will have a premium multiple times higher then a similar city who has a better crime rate or a stronger penalty for thievery. After that it would depend how much Money is coming in in and if debt is accrued, how easy can it be paid, all simple things that should be no brainers. Something that the majority of them had said throughout my calls had been there is something to be said for things not being reported because the police are already past their limit trying to handle things. Things that had gotten so bad that Fred Meyer has had to have a special alliance with police just to stop thievery that as been plaguing the stores.

Now, business still needs to be done so some stores around the country had been trying to figure out this very important challenge, because in all of these areas there is too much thieving and not enough police. Walgreens is heading to something of a model, currently in Chicago that would only have two aisles of items open to the public. With everything of major value behind a desk in an area that only employees can get to, with some people saying how it is not showing trust to the customers and it is racial profiling.

First of all no it is not. Chicago is not a race first of all, and second of all, if the people have shown on the whole they cannot be trusted then do not be shocked when things change to give better security. On top of all of this when employees take video of the thieves, they are fired, when they try to stop the thieves they are fired, when they stop an effort in anyway they are, you guessed it fired. I can understand that because if an employee does something for the store that can open them up for lawsuits. It is also the paradox of starting a business in these areas that are staying empty, one cannot often file a report or will be able to because police cannot help them, and then people who claim its all political, you all need to get your head examined.

When businesses cannot do business, they will fail, I know I am bringing in my experience and training for some Einstein level formulas here, but it is true. All of this means businesses cannot do business, they cannot earn money, they cannot survive, and it shows in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago Detroit, Portland, Seattle, New York. No money from business means business cannot open places, means less jobs, means less money those workers can get. What honestly shocks me is that his is very easy to grasp and a lot of people cannot figure out why after shoplifting at a place for months on end, that it would close down. Those losses from shoplifting means that prices will often have to be increased.

Security and keeping everything safe means that moving forward we will have more stores falter and without a way to fight back consider seeing more models of stores adopt the Walgreens setup. It is something that the next generation of business able to handle it well will be able to make money moving forward, but until then it is still a rough ride.

Stay Strong.