List of Retail Store Closings in US

by Terri Potratz | November 19, 2008 at 10:54 am

189802 views | 90 Recommendations | 77 comments

Related NowPublic.com story: List of Retail Store Closings in the US in 2009

The plagued economy has spawned a massive fallout within the retail sector, and hundreds of stores like Office Depot, Sergio Rossi, Dillards and Ann Taylor have been forced into scale-backs and in worst cases, bankruptcy and store closures. These closures, also listed on rumor-buster site Snopes.com, could change the landscape of America - malls will likely stand vacant, and city streets could soon resemble a ghost town with empty storefronts.

An email has been circulating around the web that warns against buying gift cards from the the list of closing retailers named in the email; retailers have responded saying it is a 'hoax' intended to deter shoppers from visiting their stores. I don't believe anyone would deliberately construct an elaborate hoax like this in order to 'stick it to the man,' but rather I think lists like these are created so that consumers can protect themselves. As more information is released, I will update this story to reflect changes and clarifications as they occur. Your comments are also appreciated.

Here's a list of some of the major US retailers who have closed some or all of their stores this year - note that this list will be updated as more store closures or details are announced:

Ann Taylor (117)
Movie Gallery (378)
Sprint/Nextel (125)
Ethan Allen (12)
Dell (140)
Friedmans (120)
Pier 1 (25)
Sigrid Olsen (54)
Talbots Kids/Mens (78)
Home Depot (15)
Eddie Bauer (29)
GAP (85)
Footlocker (140)
Bombay (all 384 stores)
Disney (98)
Macy's (11)
JC Penney (scaling back)
Loews (scaling back)
Sharper Image (184)
Wilson Leather (160)
Pep Boys (31)
Pacific Sunwear / PacSun (154 Demo stores)
Zales (105)
Cache (20)
Lane Bryant (40)
KB Toys (356)
Dillards (26)
Fashion Bug (100)
CompUSA (all stores)
Linens 'N Things (all 371 stores)
Mervyn's (all 149 stores)
Club Libby Lu (Saks owned) (all 78 stores)
Steve & Barry's (all 173 stores)
Sergio Rossi (all standalone US stores)
Office Depot (126 stores)
Rite Aid (181 stores)

Additional notes:

Office Depot announced on December 10, 2008 that it will close 112 underperforming stores in North America over the next 3 months, with an additional 14 stores to close when their leases expire throughout the rest of 2009. The company says it may restructure business once it determines what the office supply demand will be from other failing small businesses. 33 distribution facilities will also shut down; 20 new stores will open in 2009.

Sergio Rossi announced on December 9, 2008 that they would be closing all of their stand-alone locations in the US, deciding to focus instead on their wholesale market. The shoes will still be available at department stores. The national closures of Sergio Rossi retail stores are expected to be complete by early 2009.

Talbots is looking to to shed its J. Jill chain, and has shut down Talbots Kids, Talbots Mens, plus an additional 28 regular Talbots stores.

Ann Taylor is expected to roll out closures of 117 underperforming stores by 2010, but plan to reopen 40 new ones this year.

Home Depot had plans for 36-50 new stores in 2009, but those plans may have been abandoned - real estate was apparently a key roadblock.

Though Zales closed down 105 stores this year, they also reopened about 100 new ones. Same deal with Eddie Bauer - they closed 29 locations this year, but opened 16 new locations.

Circuit City filed for bankruptcy this year and will shutter many of its stores - 155 locations, according to a rep.

Saks is hurting all across the board, but has seen considerable decreases in women's shoe and handbag sales - if sales continue to decline, Saks store closures are predicted as well.

Charming Shoppes Inc (which owns Fashion Bug, Catherines, and Lane Bryant retail chains) announced that they will close as many as 100 additional stores by 2010.

Footlocker announced in Spring 2008 they would be closing all stores; the company currently owns nearly 4,000 stores worldwide which operate under the names Footlocker, Footaction, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, and Champs Sports.

Some responses from retailers:

Ann Taylor:

Ann Taylor is a financially strong Company that operates nearly 1,000 Ann Taylor, LOFT, Ann Taylor Factory and LOFT Outlet stores across the U.S. In January 2008, we announced plans to close 117 underperforming stores over the three-year period ending in 2010, as part of a strategic restructuring program designed to reduce our cost structure and make the Company even stronger. Our gift cards continue to be a popular and great option for gifting this Holiday season and can be redeemed at any of our stores, as well as on line at www.anntaylor.com and anntaylorLOFT.com.

Charming Shoppes:

Last February, we announced that we would be closing 150 stores, just over 5% of our total store base of 2,400 stores. This included 40 Lane Bryant stores, 10 Catherines Plus Sizes stores, and 100 Fashion Bug stores. At this time, about 100 of our store closings are complete, with the remaining 50 occurring through the end of January 2009. We do not have a list of the remaining 50 stores that we can share with you at this time.

Eddie Bauer:

The email contains misleading information about our store closures and I wanted to take this opportunity to clarify the facts. The store closures cited in the email were picked up from Eddie Bauer's annual report last March about our normal course closure of a handful of stores in January of 2008.

Currently, we operate 376 retail stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. Every year we close a small number of stores because of expiring leases and changes in business trends. We also open new locations every year, with plans for more new stores in 2009.

Retailers first respond to dire sales and profit margins by scaling back plans for expansion, examining and eliminating redundancies of staff and retail outlets, and delaying new store openings. If these methods are unsuccessful in seeing the stores through difficult economic times, bankruptcy follows.

It is important to consider all of these store closures, and potential or upcoming store closures, in mind - avoid gift cards or uncertain purchases, and double-check store return policies.

Keep on top of other retail news on our Shopping channel

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Jarrett Martineau

at 11:01 on November 19th, 2008

Wow - that is a very long list.

Worried For The People (not verified)

at 14:46 on December 18th, 2008

Sad to say that this list will only continue to grow.

Bandit (not verified)

at 17:27 on December 25th, 2008

With the advent of Internet shopping and mostly tax free, ship free deals, who can blame the buyer from home buying their products. They save rising fuel prices, long lines, obnoxious clerks and clerks who have no clue as to what the products are even used for.

I, for one, use the Internet for all my shopping except for certain food items and I have saved thousands of dollars in taxes and shipping fees. If I need help on choosing the right products, the Internet solves that problem for me with ePinions and countless other sites who basically choose the right product for me the first time around.

Paschen

at 11:02 on November 19th, 2008

Long in deed!

Monte (not verified)

at 11:32 on November 19th, 2008

Thanks Terri, it is a long list to say the least. This, though, is just the US and only the begining of the fallout; scarey thought to think about.

fabi_k

at 13:06 on November 19th, 2008

my picture is a picture of the disney store in chicago. are they going to close this one? i can't imagine this... and i had no idea that so many retail stores are going to get closed in the US. i hope that it won't happen in Germany.

fabi_k has contributed a photo to this story.

Brian Einarsen

at 13:06 on November 19th, 2008

I like documenting signs and spending some time in New York I of course had to take a couple of shots of the worldwide famous Macy's. Though I never went inside... to much stuff to look at.

baskrud has contributed a photo to this story.

are_you_sirius@sbcglobal.net

at 14:42 on November 19th, 2008

It's so sad and disappointing to see so many of these great stores close.

Blue Crush

at 18:42 on November 19th, 2008

Wow! That's a whole lotta stores. I wonder if some of it has to do with people shopping online?

caj1

at 16:22 on November 23rd, 2008

Yes, I think so. People like free shipping, and they also like comparison shopping that is available on the Internet.

bob sanderes (not verified)

at 09:04 on November 20th, 2008

ITS BECAUSE OF WALMART - BUT YOU ALL GO SHOPPING THERE

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!

JGMiller (not verified)

at 21:57 on November 22nd, 2008

Blaming Walmart? You should be thankful Walmarts is not on this list.

The reason is the Multinational Global conglomerant buying up or taking over businesses and banks in every country and they are just now hitting America! They are also after the water and utilities. Bush has already agreed and signed paperwork for Canada and Mexico to be without borders to America with a corridor from Mexico straight through to Canada...smack dab through the middle of Texas.

I agree...WAKE UP!

Walmarts didn't put anyone out of business. There are or were many stores the smaller companies could and did sell their jacked up priced products through and the fact is that unless people had more money than brains they chose to shop at Walmartd because of the better prices since the gas prices soared and the costs of the same products at other LARGE chains were way out of line.What ever happened to common sense anyway? Can't people see past their noses these days or does everyone believe what a few people say like mindless zombies.

The working class people that need to do more than choose between eating and rent love Walmarts and depend upon them to help meet the numerous needs of families. When the economy completely collapses and you are scraping your dollars together to shop for yourself and those that depend upon you...I take it you will still look for the high cost stores for the same products or maybe just maybe you will actually appreciate Walmarts and be thankful they held a standard!

Bill in Reno, NV (not verified)

at 23:41 on December 30th, 2008

Walmart sells junk! Go and look at the labels of many of the foods they sell. They are full of preservatives. Walmart is also famous for mistreating workers. If you REALLY think you are finding the best price and VALUE (will you have to buy another one in 6 mos. because its made of cheap plastic that will crack?) they you obviously have not shopped around. Target sells many of the household cleaning and paper items for slightly less and have much classier and quality housewares and decor. As for clothes, you can find much better quality and better fitting clothes if you just look for a sale and department stores. They routinely put name brand clothing up on sale for 75% off at the end of season, and if you are smart, you will shop for the next season (yes America, plan that far ahead!) you will find some great deals on clothes you can wear for the next four or five years. Don't forget about the deals at discount places like Stein Mart, Ross, TJ Maxx and Burlington coat factory. They offer amazing deals fashion for you and your home at affordable prices. Are you one of the drones that frequent the walmart? That place in your neighborhood that has become home to drug deals and has an artery clogging Wendys of McDonalds built right in. Also, when was the last time you were offered service at walmart? There are better ways to save by shopping at stores with ethics towards customer service and employees. Wake up America and stop being lazy, shop smarter!

Catalina (not verified)

at 14:21 on January 1st, 2009

You have just comfirm what a lot of us Canadians know - the U.S. has very LITTLE KNOWLEDGE about Canada! The problems in the economy has not a whole lot to do with the North American Free Trade Agreement. The reason for this is LABOUR IS CHEAPPER in Mexico. One of the biggest problems is the YOU OWE ME ADDITUDE and we have the BEST and now you are paying for it. The amount of debit that each of you have is unbelieveable - I have to have bigger and bettter than my neighbour! Perhaps if we all get back to basics and enjoy what we can afford to have and not the extravigance and have pay rates that are with in a healthy range - NO athele or movie star, etc. are worth what they are being paid. It is sad that they have been put on such a high petistal - only to say that we have the best and are the best. Money and material things don't really show who you really are - only your actions do. So may be with President Obama, he will help us all get back to basics and get off our high horses and learn something new about ourselves. Its going to be a rough ride to get on the right trail. GOOD LUCK to us all!

Sherrie mccurry (not verified)

at 19:35 on January 2nd, 2009

Catalina, You are so right. I'm U.S. born and raised but my values are not of this generation. This generation does not know what it is to have a "starter home" much less to think of beginning in a modest apartment. The word contentment is almost a swear word to them, but swear words are common place in there world too. This generation has never seen a recession or a depression. We have taken our God out of our society, our faith out of our homes and while we have always been the "Great melting pot" we never had a problem with "One Nation, under God, with Liberty and justice for all" before. Now, this generation wants to challenge the word god. Nobody ever said my god had to be your god in the past or that you had to accept a god at all. So Catalina, I could really go on and on. I wont. But I promise you a nation divided will fall. America better decide who she is. We better come together and stop being Hispanic-Americans, Black-Americans, White-Americans, Jewish-Americans and just get busy being Americans. Americans that love this country, each other and want to work and make this country great again. In order to do that, Americans are going to get off there fat lazy butts, get there jobs back, stop shipping them to China & India & work for buck. Learn the word market value. We are Americans. If it sounds proud, I am. We give more in foreign aid than anybody, and we are criticized more. We are tuff and we can take it. So the next time Canada needs help call us we will come. We're good neighbors.

Joleen (not verified)

at 09:38 on January 8th, 2009

I totally agree. I refuse to go into that place. Here, they have put a vast majority of the mom and pop businesses out already, now they are taking out everyone else. If we aren't carefull all we'll have to chose from is the inferior quality junk they sell in there.

For online shopping, yeah, I do some of that, but I'm sorry, but there is no way I am buying clothing online, I am not spending money on something I can't try on and see how it fits and looks (all women know it never looks the same on everyone, so you can't go by the person modling it).

It's really sad to see all these stores go under. THe thought of Walmart taking over more than they already have scares me.

kara andrews (not verified)

at 10:49 on January 8th, 2009

Being a plus sized woman it is VERY expensive to buy clothes and especially with the small wages and the every rising prices of everything, sometimes you have to buy clothes and shoes and pretty much everything at Wal-Mart. Why would I go to Fashion Bug or Lane Bryant and pay up to $35 for a shirt when I can go to Walmart and get an equally nice shirt for half that?

01RED (not verified)

at 11:37 on January 8th, 2009

Guess what....I plan to continue to shop at WAL-MART!!! Great prices. If I don't go to WAL-MART, I shop on-line....usually no taxes, no lines, comparison on-line is easy, save money on gas, no rude people to deal with....the list goes on.

Perspective (not verified)

at 17:10 on November 20th, 2008

Yes, this is, indeed a long list and it is a reflection of a troubled economy. However, the timing of this article and its statement that these stores are closing this year implies that all these stores are closing because of the current financial crisis. A brief investigation shows that many of these closings started in 2007; Bombay, Pep Boys and KB Toys are just three examples. Many others announced the closings very early this year.

Furthermore:

--Libby Lu is closing because Saks (the parent company) closed the division that operated Libby Lu and is trying to focus on core stores.

--Pier 1 has been struggling for years.

--CompUSA, declining for a decade as it faced competition from the likes of BestBuy and other, began shedding stores in early 2007--and sold some of its business to companies like TigerDirect.

--Home Depot & Lowes are closing stores but also opening some. The point here is they're not just shutting down, they're streamlining.

Although such closings are not good news, they don't show the whole story. We must report the whole story or wind up contributing excessive amounts of fear in already uncertain and confusing times.

Rudy Joggerst (not verified)

at 20:24 on November 20th, 2008

Please note your article is inaccurate. I found the following information on Movie Gallery's web site:

It has recently come to our attention that there is information circulating the Internet regarding Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video store closures, which would have implications regarding gift card redemption. We would like to inform you that this information is not accurate. At this time there are no plans in place to close any of our Movie Gallery or Hollywood Video retail locations.

We appreciate your loyalty and look forward to serving you in our stores.

Sincerely,
Sherif Mityas
Chief Operating Officer and President, Retail Operations
Movie Gallery, Inc.

Terri Potratz

at 16:35 on November 22nd, 2008

Thanks for your comment. As already noted, this list is a run-down of some of the companies who have undergone store closures this year,

From February, 2008:

Video rental company Movie Gallery, Inc. on Monday announced plans to close an additional 400 stores as part of its reorganization plan as it attempts to exit bankruptcy.

Movie Gallery, the nation's No. 2 video rental chain behind Blockbuster Inc., said it is closing underperforming and unprofitable stores that operate under the Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video names. The company in September announced the closure of 520 stores.

deuxprecious (not verified)

at 18:32 on November 26th, 2008

Really? Interesting. Because every Hollywood Video I know of in my immediate vicinity (4 of them) have closed down in the past 12 months.

Shannon Caldwell (not verified)

at 08:35 on January 8th, 2009

That's funny the Hollywood Video and Movie Gallery near my house just closed. One had been there for years the other opened and closed in 2 years.

Dan D (not verified)

at 22:23 on November 20th, 2008

Why do you have Circuit City closing all of its stores when the link does not back that up?

"Circuit City filed for bankruptcy this year and will close all of its stores."

Terri Potratz

at 16:36 on November 22nd, 2008

Thanks - I have updated the story to reflect that Circuit City is closing many, not all, of its stores.

Terri Potratz

at 01:14 on November 21st, 2008

thanks all for your comments. The purpose of this piece was not to directly insinuate that all of these store closures occurred as an immediate or direct result of the financial fallout. Indeed, many of these closures began taking place some time ago - the point is that the sagging retail sector has been exacerbated by the current economic turnoil.

Dan D (not verified)

at 23:25 on November 21st, 2008

How about correcting this to indicate the CircuitCity is closing some stores? Dont you think internet rumors help to drive people away from companies like CircuitCity who are simply closing some stores?

Probably be smart to edit your piece to give correct information!

daniel caldwell (not verified)

at 04:11 on November 21st, 2008

soon we will be riding spike covered motorcycles over destroyed land battling over scraps of food and gas.

Mike R. (not verified)

at 16:43 on January 3rd, 2009

Right you are Daniel. All these stores (including Walmart ) will be gone. So will the economy and society as we know it. All that will be left is gold, silver, stored food, a gun and ammunition. It may be a perilous time but at least we will have our freedom.