Free Republic

An iconic retail store in San Francisco may close its doors after 160 years after its CEO warned the deteriorating conditions are making the city “unlivable.” San Francisco retailer Gumps CEO John Chachas told the host of the Fox program “The Story with Martha MacCallum” that high crime and rampant public drug is out of hand. “It’s a sad state of affairs,” Mr. Challas told MacCallum. “I spoke to a customer today who’s come to us for 50 consecutive Christmases and who won’t come back because the city is in a difficult and awfully dirty condition.” Gumps’ CEO said conditions...

The owner of a luxury San Francisco department store took out a full-page ad to bash the city’s leadership — warning that rampant homelessness and drug abuse could force it to shut up shop after 166 years. “Gump’s has been a San Francisco icon for more than 165 years,” John Chachas wrote in his open letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. “Today, as we prepare for our 166th holiday season at 250 Post Street, we fear this may be our last because of the profound erosion of this city’s conditions.” The...