I believe the resident who was interviewed as part of the story I posted. He blamed crime. I also believe the crime stats posted in the story. Do you disagree with him and the crime stats? If so, why?
The article I read showed that crime was not the main reason that Walmart Superstore closed, but it was part of the reason. The store was nearly 30 years old, opening in 1997 and remodeled in 2012. It closed in 2023.
The former Eastport Plaza Walmart in Portland is now home to a large Hong Phat Supercenter, a major Asian supermarket that opened in July 2024, along with other smaller businesses like restaurants, a salon, and a travel agency.
A bit of Nostalgia. Nothing stays the same. Time changes everything.
When my wife and I first moved to Portland in 1966 from Los Angeles, we rented a house for $82 a month six blocks east of this Walmart superstore, although at that time it was a Safeway grocery store, which we frequented for groceries.
My coworkers at Meier & Frank in downtown Portland questioned why we rented a house "out in the boonies." LOL! Back then, Lents was a nice family neighborhood with single family old Portland style homes. Back then crime was so non-existent we often didn't bother to lock our door. Our son was born when we lived there.
According to Zillow, the house we rented is valued at $426,000 and based on the photos, it looks about the same as when we lived there. Amazing!
The L.A. Fitness gym I sometimes go to is at Eastport Plaza shopping center, throwing distance from that Walmart store. The gym has a large Asian clientele. Although it is about 20 miles from where I currently live, I go there because they have an abundance of equipment. I almost never wait for a station to free up.
I am pleased to say I have never been the victim of crime at Eastport Plaza. So based on personal experience, I can neither agree nor disagree with the person who was interviewed. However, according to what I have read, the Lents neighborhood unfortunately, has a high crime rate. This makes me feel sad because it was not at all the case in the late 60's.
The Iconic, flagship, downtown Portland Meier & Frank store where I once worked, first opened in the early 1900’s. It was family owned for decades. It was bought by Macy’s around the time I started working there. Later, it was rebranded as Macy’s. The building is still there today. It was converted into a luxury hotel, The Nines, opening in 2008.
