MEMPHIS, Tenn. — At least two Family Dollar stores in Memphis are closing this month due to thefts, employees say.
The Family Dollar in the 3400 block of Summer Avenue and the Family Dollar on Coleman Road in Raleigh are both having out-of-business sales.
At the Summer Avenue store, items are 50 percent off. Workers said the store will close for good on April 13 due to ongoing shoplifting. They said thieves are taking more items than they are selling.
“We were always finding empty boxes in the store. Shoplifters would go out the back doors,” said one employee.
The Memphis Police Department’s CyberWatch website shows officers responded to more than a dozen incidents in the 2400 block of Summer. About half of the reports were for shoplifting.
Yvette Evans stopped by the Highland Heights store on Friday looking for a bargain. She wasn’t surprised to hear the store was closing because of retail crime.
“You can’t make a profit if they are stealing all of your profit,” said Evans. “The stealing up here is rampant. They break out the windows. The cashiers are working in fear. I’ve been here before and seen people walk out with pockets full of stuff.”
In March, Dollar Tree, which owns Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, announced it was closing about 1,000 stores nationwide to improve profitability.
Family Dollar has not responded to WREG’s requests for more information about the Memphis store closures next week.
The Family Dollar on Coleman Road has slashed prices by 75%. Workers there said the store is closing due to inventory shrinkage.
Employees at both businesses said they would be moved to other stores.
This week, Family Dollar held a job fair to hire 600 people at its West Memphis, Arkansas distribution center.
The warehouse was closed down in 2022 due to a rat infestation. Family Dollar was ordered to pay more than $41 million for the unsanitary conditions. The infestation also led to product recalls and the closure of more than 400 stores.
The distribution center is set to re-open in August.