A Portage la Prairie clothing store will close up shop for good next year due to theft, violence and a lack of accountability for thieves and criminals. According to the owner, this is the number one reason they are going out of business. “Retail theft was the biggest factor, one hundred percent,” Ajay Aggarwal said on Monday.
Aggarwal announced last week that Olina Fashions, a retail clothing and footwear store she co-owns with other family members, is going out of business in the new year after selling off their remaining merchandise. “When there’s no accountability for theft, it doesn’t just hurt businesses, it damages the whole community.” According to Aggarwal, theft along with unruly and often violent behavior led to a “toxic” environment at the store.
Employees were fearful and those operating the store were continuously stressed. “It’s not just the financial loss that comes with theft, though those are significant,” she said. “It’s the constant stress of having to watch out for it every day, the abuse our staff takes when they try to stop it, and the helplessness of seeing it get worse.
“When you’re constantly dealing with theft, you’re stuck in survival mode instead of being able to grow.” Fear of violence and weapons had been steadily growing among those working in the store in recent months, leaving employees in a constant and growing state of anxiety. “It escalated, not only in frequency, but also in severity with thieves bringi.