More 7-Elevens to Possibly Close in Winnipeg

In a meeting with 7-Elevens CEO and officials from Canada, Winnipeg City Council was warned that 10 more of their convenience stores face closure over crime issues. This is a unique warning for Winnipeg as the company has tremendous success in the city but shoplifting challenges have outpaced all their considerable security measures. The time-lock safes, the LED lights, the security cameras, the removal of lottery tickets and tobacco from easy access at night and the low amount of cash on hand has not been enough to stop wholesale removal of product. Police regularly stop at 7-Elevens for coffee and Slurpees. It still isn't enough.

Some helpful people have suggested liqour store-like IDs and locked doors. This would an expensive add on as a full time person has to be doing security. Heaven help us if every store went this way then it would lead to line-ups the likes we haven't seen since Covid. Perhaps there is a way to streamline this but it puts the onus far too much on the retailer. And to be fair, 7-Eleven already does a considerable amount on security.

The ten stores likely to be closed have not been identified but there are several such as William and on Ellice that have shuttered and remain boarded up. No other business has seemed interested in the properties. And why would they? If heavy security 7-Eleven can't withstand it, who can? Some areas of Winnipeg that are a food and convenience store desert will be even more so. 

The province has stepped up policing with supports and retailers and restaurants are asking for it to be extended and expanded. The feeling is that some crime issues manifest from seeming lack of consequences. Add to that a real increase in toxic drugs that result in addiction and more desperation.

So what stores are in danger of closing? They are: 1895 Wellington (Airport location) 119 Salter Street, 1184 Portage Avenue (Wolsely location), 909 Lorette (Fort Rouge location), 665 McPhillips, 120 Keewatin, 456 Talbot, 891 Arlington, 1485 Inkster Blvd and 815 Ellice. At some of these locations stock was entirely removed from shelves and walked out the store.

One suggestion was for doors to be locked and only a few people let in at a time. In the U.S. sometimes only a take out window is open. Some suggested security guards full time but even grocery stores are finding only police actions and consistent arrests will put a stop to it. 

Others will blame society, police, housing, poverty, drugs and say only a re-make of society will be helpful. That likely won't save the grocery and convenience stores. Certainly police arrests of some people with tens of thousands of goods should give some idea how pervasive the problem is. The loss of so many stores is an emergency requiring provincial and city effort.  Having only two city councillors meet the officials from 7-Eleven might not be enough. The warning should be enough to reach all elected officials on holiday.