Each year major retailers announce that they will be closing their doors. Retail stores closing seems to be happening more and more due to consumers buying more online rather than at brick and mortar stores. The loss of store revenues leads to the corporations filing for bankruptcy and eventually going under. Amazon seems to be dominating the online market and retails aren’t able to keep up with the losses. When stores close consumers are left to find new favorite stores, but they are also able to cash in on some of the great going out of business sales.
List of retail stores closing
No one knows what the future holds, but following retail stores have been struggling with making their mark in the retail world and as a result have been bleeding cash. Unless a major change occurs, these retail stores could be going out of business in the future.
Abercrombie & Fitch – Their footprint of retail stores closing has been shrinking ever since the recession hit. At their height they had 946 stores and are now down to around 600 stores. The future is not looking bright for this retailer of teen clothing.
Aeropostale – In 2016 they had closed 154 stores and started filling for chapter 11 bankruptcy. They are still operating approximately 500 stores and online they have been advertising a “new” Aeropostale. The companies future is still in jeopardy.
American Eagle – The lack of mall traffic has crippled this retail store. They will shut down 154 locations over three years.
Kmart – The company has slowly been closing stores over the last several years and we expect this downward spiral to continue. As of 2017 they have approximately 700 stores operating, whereas at their height they had 941 stores.
Macys – After some financial hardships, Macy’s has closed 140 of their stores across the nation. The retailer is still remaining strong and we expect to see them recover in the years to come.
Office Depot – They have closed over 700 stores since 2014, but with the merging of Office Depot and Office Max in 2013 we expect to see some more close as a town really only needs one of these two stores.
Ralph Lauren – 50 stores have closed in 2016, which is about 10% of their retail locations. They company seems to be going downhill since the founder Ralph Lauren stepped down from CEO in late 2015.
Sears – They sold off their Craftsman tools brand and closed 42 locations in 2017. Sears has now merged with Kmart who has been bleeding cash for decades so we expect between the 2 brands that there will be more closures in the future, we just aren’t sure if it will be Kmart or Sears stores closing down.
Stores No Longer in Business
These major retailers couldn’t stay afloat and are no longer in business. All of these stores retail locations have gone out of business.
Anchor Blue – Youth-oriented mall retail chain, also known as Miller’s Outpost went bankrupt in 2011 and closed all 150 stores early that year.
Annas Linens – In 2015 all of the Anna’s Linens locations went out of business after filling for bankruptcy. Their official closing date was July 14, 2015.
Circuit City – The company filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and liquidated all their assets in the Spring of 2009. They tried coming back as an online retailer but that venture failed as well.
CompUSA – All CompUSA stores closed at the end of 2012.
DEB – In 2015 all of their brick and mortar retail locations closed, today they are an online-only retailer selling plus-size clothing.
dEliA*s – Starting as a junior’s clothing catalog and expanding to over 100 locations, ended up going bankrupt in 2014. A year later in 2015 they reopened as an online only retailer.
Gottschalks – Department store was once the largest independently owned, publicly traded department store in the US. In 2009 bankruptcy claimed the company.
Hancock Fabrics – The fabric and craft store went bankrupt in 2016. The Hancock Fabrics intellectual property was acquired by Michaels.
Hastings – All stores were closed by October 31, 2016 due to bankruptcy. They have already had their going out of business sale. They followed the same fate as Blockbuster and Hollywood Video stores.
Linens ‘n Things – In October 2008 the remaining Linens ‘n Things brick and mortar stores closed, however the company continues to run an online website.
Mervyn’s – Mervyn’s ill-fated expansion out of West Coast markets in the months before a recession sent the company into bankruptcy in 2008.
Sport Authority – Closed all stores in 2016 and Dick’s Sporting Goods purchased the Sports Authority name and intellectual property.
The Limited – All of their 250 stores will be going out of business in 2017.