In a sad turn of events, the iconic Portland music venue Turn! Turn! Turn! has closed down due to its insurer dropping them due to the increase in crime in the area. This comes just days after the last ever Walmart closed its doors in the city for similar reasons.

In a lengthy statement, the owner claimed that its insurer wouldn’t cover them, so they legally couldn’t stay open, even if they wanted to. They also mentioned how they had two break-ins last year that cost them $2000 which was paid for by their insurer. Turn! Turn! Turn! also went on to mention how the city was suffering from ‘poverty, crime, vandalism and mental health’ that all impacted their business. As of right now, it is unsure whether they will be re-opening or not.

Sadly, this is the state of trying to run a Portland retail business in 2023. What’s worse is that this is a small, independent business whereby locals and the community are directly affected by its closure. From a cultural perspective, if more places like this begin to close, then the city will become less vibrant and will eventually die out.

Speaking on the closure, locals said “Small businesses that shape a city’s culture being unable to continue operating is a small price to pay for our equitable utopia!” and “What’s sad is that insurance company, even having paid out for a door or two likely still made money just in one year.”

Check the full statement below: