Safeway Closure Reflects Broader Retail Exodus

Safeway has announced the closure of its Webster Street location in San Francisco's Fillmore District, effective February 7, 2025, due to persistent theft and safety concerns. The decision follows a year-long delay prompted by community and city leader appeals, which allowed the store to remain open to provide a transition period for the area. This closure is part of a broader trend of retailer exits from San Francisco amid rising crime and safety issues. While Safeway will reassign the store's employees to other locations in the city, the closure raises concerns about creating a food desert in the Fillmore and Japantown neighborhoods. The site is set to be sold to Align Real Estate, which plans a mixed-use development project that includes housing and retail space. Community leaders, including Supervisor Dean Preston, have called for the use of eminent domain to convert the space into affordable housing, highlighting the area's ongoing economic struggles.