36 Macy’s Stores to Close — Final Sales Start Next Week

Thirty-six more Macy’s stores will close early this year.

Macy’s Inc. announced this week that the closures are part of what the publicly traded company describes as “a series of cost-efficiency and process improvement measures.”

The 36 store closures slated for this year are in addition to four Macy’s closures that took place in 2015.

These changes are designed to reduce expenses by about $400 million while still allowing Macy’s to pursue opportunities for growth, the company said.

Macy’s Inc. operates Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury stores and websites.

Macy’s Inc. chief executive Terry Lundgren explains in a news release:

“In light of our disappointing 2015 sales and earnings performance, we are making adjustments to become more efficient and productive in our operations. …

“In some cases, there will be short-term pain as we tighten our belt and realign our resources. But our eye is on a long-term vision of Macy’s Inc. as a dynamic retailer that serves existing customers and acquires new ones through innovative approaches to the marketplace.”

At three of the closing Macy’s stores, final clearance sales are already underway. These stores are located in:

• Westfield Century City, Los Angeles
• North DeKalb Mall, Decatur, Georgia
• Roseburg Valley Mall, Roseburg, Oregon

At the other 33 closing Macy’s stores, final clearance sales will start Jan. 11, and continue for eight to 12 weeks. These stores are located in the following cities (alphabetized by state):

• Irvine Spectrum, Irvine, California
• Country Club Plaza, Sacramento, California
• Enfield Square, Enfield, Connecticut (main store and furniture/home/men’s store)
• Kailua, Hawaii
• Palouse Mall, Moscow, Idaho
• Northwoods Mall, Peoria, Illinois
• Cortana Mall, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Valley Mall, Hagerstown, Maryland
• Berkshire Mall, Lanesborough, Massachusetts
• Eastfield Mall, Springfield, Massachusetts
• The Shoppes at Stadium, Columbia, Missouri
• Middlesex Mall, South Plainfield, New Jersey
• McKinley Mall, Buffalo, New York (main store and home store)
• Arnot Mall, Horsehead, New York
• Hudson Valley Mall, Kingston, New York
• Eastern Hills Mall, Williamsville, New York
• Cary Towne Center, Cary, North Carolina
• Chapel Hill Mall, Akron, Ohio
• Midway Mall, Elyria, Ohio
• Quail Springs Mall, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Pony Village Mall, North Bend, Oregon
• Suburban Square, Ardmore, Pennsylvania
• Century III Mall, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
• Ridgmar Mall, Fort Worth, Texas
• Chesapeake Square, Chesapeake, Virginia
• Virginia Center Commons, Glen Allen, Virginia
• Peninsula Town Center, Hampton, Virginia
• Military Circle Mall, Norfolk, Virginia
• Regency Square, Richmond, Virginia (main store and furniture/home/men’s store)
• Downtown Spokane, Spokane, Washington

Additionally, five new Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s stores are planned for or under construction in the following cities:

• Ka Makana Ali’i, Kapolei, Hawaii — Macy’s
• Westfield Century City, Los Angeles — Macy’s (to replace an older and smaller Macy’s store)
• Westfield Valley Fair Shopping Center, San Jose — Bloomingdale’s
• The SoNo Collection, Norwalk, Connecticut — Bloomingdale’s
• Fashion Place, Murray, Utah — Macy’s

About 50 new Macy’s Backstage off-price locations, most of which will be inside existing Macy’s stores, and about 40 free-standing Bluemercury beauty specialty stores are also planned for the next two years.

What’s your take on Macy’s ongoing and upcoming changes? Share your thoughts below or on Facebook.