Rising Crime Forces Closure of Major Retailers in San Francisco
Cole Hardware's SoMa location in San Francisco is closing due to the pandemic, remote work, and online shopping, not crime. The store struggled to find footing and has never turned a profit since opening in 2017. E-commerce has dealt a heavy blow, and the store needs at least twice the number of customers it currently averages to survive. The location will continue to serve as a warehouse/distribution center for Cole's other storefronts, and most of the dozen employees will be relocated.