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The loudest sound in the room this week wasn’t a siren — it was a microphone. Alderman William Hall held a news conference after Walgreens announced it will permanently close its Chatham store on the South Side, and he didn’t just complain. He demanded “first‑degree corporate abandonment” charges against the chain. That’s a headline-grabbing move, but it’s the politics we need to unpack, not the drama.
Why Walgreens says it’s leaving
Walgreens says the Chatham store is closing because of high levels of retail theft and violent incidents that made it unsafe for employees and customers. The company noted it tried operating changes — shorter hours and other adjustments — but still could not keep the location secure. Walgreens also said prescriptions will be moved to nearby locations and that some customers will get free delivery for a short time. Those are standard business moves when safety becomes a real problem.
Political posturing, not prosecution
Alderman Hall’s demand that Walgreens face criminal charges is mostly political theater. No prosecutor has announced any investigation, and there’s no obvious legal basis for charging a company simply for deciding not to operate in a dangerous location. If we start prosecuting businesses for leaving trouble spots, what’s next — a felony for closing after a flood? The real target here should be the criminals causing the chaos, not the companies trying to protect staff and customers.
Yes, closures hurt people — but who’s responsible?
Let’s be clear: seniors and medically vulnerable residents will be hurt if a neighborhood pharmacy shuts down. Longer trips for prescriptions are not a minor inconvenience for some families. But blaming Walgreens alone misses the point. The underlying problem is runaway retail crime and public-safety failures. When stores close because they can’t keep employees safe, the blame belongs to the real actors — thieves and violent offenders — and to the leaders who have not fixed the environment that lets this happen.
Fix the causes, don’t criminalize the effect
Bold talk about corporate crimes looks good on a poster but does nothing for a grandma who needs her medicine. If Alderman Hall wants results, push for better policing, smarter prosecutions, and community programs that reduce theft and violence. Work a deal with Walgreens or recruit other providers, offer security grants, or bring in mobile pharmacy services. But don’t turn a business decision into a criminal case. If anyone deserves a charge, it should be the people committing the violence — not the people trying to avoid it.
