Magnificent Mile Looting: Nike, Nordstrom, Macy’s + Dozens of Stores Hit During Overnight Unrest in Chicago
Dozens of stores in Chicago’s main shopping district, known as the Magnificent Mile, were hit by looters during overnight unrest.
According to authorities, the looting started shortly after midnight as people descended on Michigan Avenue and other nearby shopping areas, where store windows were broken and people carried bags full of merchandise out of stores. The activity continued throughout the overnight hours, and authorities told the Chicago Tribune that gunfire was exchanged with officers at one point.
Jeremy Gorner, a Chicago Tribune reporter covering crime, tweeted several photos of stores being damaged, including Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s and Louis Vuitton.
Macy’s
State and Randolph streets in the Loop. pic.twitter.com/EEdxwfTnNO— Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) August 10, 2020
In a press conference this morning, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she wants to ensure that residents and businesses in the city, which has seen a notable uptick in violence, feel safe. She promised to hold looters accountable for their actions. “We are coming for you. We are already at work in finding you,” she said.
Scattered shoe boxes, etc. outside The Gwen hotel on Rush and Illinois streets. pic.twitter.com/09yYVIpK4y
— Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) August 10, 2020
The new incidents come about two months after unrest gripped the country following the murder of George Floyd. There was widespread looting in major cities across the country, from New York to Los Angeles and Atlanta to Seattle.
At that time, businesses up and down the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago were subject to looting, including the Macy’s flagship on State Street, Neiman Marcus, Nike and multiple shops in the Water Town Place Shopping Center.
Since then, storeowners in Chicago and across the country have been grappling with an uneven recovery — with coronavirus cases still rising in many parts of the country and some shoppers still staying out of stores.