Macy's Announces Store Closings
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The Balance / Colleen Tighe
There's no doubt that the traditional retail industry has been suffering in recent years. Many companies have had to make the hard decision to shutter some of their brick-and-mortar locations. Online shopping, a weaker economy and falling consumer sentiment are just some of the reasons why some of the country's biggest retail names have been closing their stores.
Macy's is no exception. The retailer, whose first store opened in 1858 on the corner of 14th Street and 6th Avenue in New York City, announced it would close 100 stores. The announcement was made in August 2016, and represents about 15% of all Macy's department stores.
The bulk of those planned closings — 68 stores — were announced after a 2016 holiday season marked by disappointing sales. In addition to these store closings, Macy's also reportedly sold some of the floors of its retail stores, including its massive Chicago flagship store.
In an email, a Macy's representative said the retailer would shutter eight of those 100 stores in 2019.
A Brand in Need of a Refresh
Age, longevity and legacy can be an appealing quality for shoppers, but many of the stores Macy's has closed or is planning to close bore brand resemblance to any of the Macy's flagship stores or the bright, shiny new Macy's stores that opened in 2016.
Additionally, The Motley Fool pointed out that many of Macy's competitors are different because specific products — not stores — drive their brand value. It cited Michael Kors, L Brands, Victoria's Secret and Lululemon as examples.
Store Closings Since 2016 Announcement
These are the stores Macy's has closed since its 2016 announcement:
California
- Irvine Spectrum, Irvine
- Country Club Plaza, Sacramento
- Westfield Century City, Los Angeles
- Simi Valley Town Center (men’s/home/kids), Simi Valley
- Mission Valley Apparel, San Diego
- Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara
- Laguna Hills Mall, Laguna Hills
- Westside Pavilion, Los Angeles (2019)
- Novato (Furniture), Novato
- Stonestown Galleria, San Francisco
- Laurel Plaza, North Hollywood
- Sunnyvale Town Center (2019)
Connecticut
- Enfield Square (main store), Enfield
- Enfield Square (furniture/home/men's store), Enfield
Florida
- The Oaks, Gainesville
- Miami (Downtown)
- Lakeland Square, Lakeland
- Oviedo Marketplace, Oviedo
- Sarasota Square, Sarasota
- University Square, Tampa
- CityPlace, West Palm Beach
Georgia
- North DeKalb Mall, Decatur
- Georgia Square, Athens
Hawaii
- Kailua
- Ala Moana Jewel Gallery, Honolulu
Idaho
- Palouse Mall, Moscow
- Magic Valley Mall, Twin Falls
- Nampa Gateway Center, Nampa
Illinois
- Northwoods Mall, Peoria
- Alton Square, Alton
- Stratford Square, Bloomingdale
- Eastland, Bloomington
Indiana
- Honey Creek Mall, Terre Haute
- Glendale Town Center, Indianapolis (2019)
Kentucky
- Greenwood, Bowling Green
- Jefferson, Louisville
Louisiana
- Cortana Mall, Baton Rouge
- Esplanade, Kenner
Maine
- Bangor
Maryland
- Valley Mall, Hagerstown
Massachusetts
- Berkshire Mall, Lanesborough
- Eastfield Mall, Springfield
- Westgate, Brockton
- Silver City Galleria, Taunton
- Swansea Mall (2019)
Michigan
- Birchwood Mall, Fort Gratiot Township
- Lakeview Square Mall, Battle Creek
- Eastland Center, Harper Woods
- Lansing, Lansing
- Westland
Minnesota
- Minneapolis Downtown
Missouri
- The Shoppes at Stadium, Columbia
Nevada
- Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas
New Jersey
- Middlesex Mall, South Plainfield
- Moorestown
- Voorhees Town Center, Voorhees
- Preakness, Wayne
New Mexico
- Cottonwood, Albuquerque
New York
- McKinley Mall (main store), Buffalo
- McKinley Mall (home store), Buffalo
- Arnot Mall, Horsehead
- Hudson Valley Mall, Kingston
- Eastern Hills Mall, Williamsville
- Douglaston
- Great Northern, Clay
- Oakdale Mall, Johnson City
- The Marketplace, Rochester
- The Shops at Nanuet (2019)
North Carolina
- Cary Towne Center, Cary
- Carolina Place, Pineville
- Northgate, Durham
North Dakota
- Columbia, Grand Forks
Ohio
- Chapel Hill Mall, Akron
- Midway Mall, Elyria
- Mall at Tuttle Crossing (furniture/home/kids/men's), Dublin
- Fountain Place, Cincinnati
- Eastland, Columbus
- Sandusky
- Fort Steuben, Steubenville
Oklahoma
- Quail Springs Mall, Oklahoma City
- Promenade, Tulsa
Oregon
- Pony Village Mall, North Bend
- Roseburg Valley Mall, Roseburg
- Downtown Portland
- Lancaster Mall, Salem
Pennsylvania
- Suburban Square, Ardmore
- Century III Mall, West Mifflin
- Neshaminy, Bensalem
- Shenango Valley, Hermitage
- Beaver Valley, Monaca
- Lycoming, Muncy
- Plymouth Meeting
- Washington Crown Center, Washington
Texas
- Ridgmar Mall, Fort Worth
- Parkdale, Beaumont
- Southwest Center, Dallas
- Sunland Park, El Paso
- Greenspoint, Houston
- West Oaks Mall, Houston
- Pasadena Town Square, Pasadena
- Collin Creek, Plano
- Broadway Square, Tyler
Utah
- Valley Fair, West Valley City
- Layton Hills, Layton
- Cottonwood, Salt Lake City
Vermont
- Burlington Town Center, Burlington
Virginia
- Chesapeake Square, Chesapeake
- Virginia Center Commons, Glen Allen
- Peninsula Town Center, Hampton
- Military Circle Mall, Norfolk
- Regency Square (main store), Richmond
- Regency Square (furniture/home/men's store), Richmond
- Landmark, Alexandria
- River Ridge, Lynchburg
- Tysons Galleria, McLean (2019)
Washington
- Downtown Spokane
- Everett
- Three Rivers, Kelso
- Redmond Town Center, Redmond (2019)
Wisconsin
- Oakwood Mall, Eau Claire
- Valley View, La Crosse
Wyoming
- Casper Eastridge Mall, Casper (2019)
Macy's said that it was reducing its brick-and-mortar locations in order to focus on balancing out the remaining stores with its digital presence.
In an email, a Macy's representative said: "We are comfortable with the current store fleet and believe that every store has a role to play in our success. The decision to close a store is always a difficult one, and regular, non-seasonal employees who we are unable to place at nearby Macy’s stores will be eligible for severance, including outplacement resources."