Big stores are announcing hundreds of closures. Who’s closing, staying open in Fresno?
Department stores and other big-name national companies have announced hundreds of store closures the past few weeks.
That includes some familiar names: Macy’s, Pier 1, Sears, Forever 21, Cost Plus World Market.
It’s a continuation of the wave of bankruptcies and store closures that have plagued the industry in recent years. Retailers are facing challenges like customers turning to online shopping, and concerns about the environment that have people spending less on clothing.
The store closure announcements have been rolling in since late last year, but they rarely specify which locations will close. So we checked into all the retailers announcing closures with stores here to find out what it means for the Fresno area, including Clovis and Visalia.
Here’s what we found.
Sears
Sears is closing its stores at Manchester Center in Fresno and in Visalia. Both are slated to close Feb. 2.
The Sears store in Clovis along with the Sears Outlet on West Shaw Avenue in Fresno, and the Selma Sears Hometown selling only appliances, are remaining open.
The Manchester store is about halfway through its going-out-of-business sale.
Everything is 20% to 75% off and merchandise is selling quickly. Access to the lower level is blocked off. The remaining merchandise has been collected into the center of the store, with wide swaths of the store sitting empty.
Most clothing, including a large selection of children’s clothing, is 75% off. Some toddlers’ tops are priced as low as $1.99 and girls dresses are selling for $11.24.
One corner of the store has a small selection of refrigerators and clothes washers at 20% off. Luggage, jewelry and shoes also have been steeply discounted, with $49.99 stilettos selling for $14.99.
Everything from mannequins and display shelves to a conveyor belt were also for sale.
Sears has been struggling for years to stay relevant. Despite a new owner buying it out of bankruptcy, the Fresno and Visalia closures are part of a recent wave of 96 store closures.
In contrast to the closing signs, new construction work is happening on the same building. Ross, dd’s DISCOUNTS and other retail stores are planning to open in the far north end of the Sears building.
Forever 21
Forever 21 is not closing in Fresno, despite the retailer planning to close more than 100 stores nationwide and filing for bankruptcy.
A manager at the Fashion Fair store confirmed this week that the store is not planning to close, though the manager declined to speak further.
The fast-fashion retailer filed for bankruptcy late last year.
Things looked scary for the local stores for a while. Originally, the Fresno and Tulare stores appeared on a list of stores likely to close that was filed in bankruptcy court. The company was looking for ways to save money as it negotiated with landlords.
But the list was later updated and neither the Fresno store nor the Tulare store was on it.
The retailer still plans to close 29 Forever 21 stores in California. And it’s still in bankruptcy, which means additional stores could later be added to the list.
Forever 21’s extremely large stores, online competition and a generation of shoppers becoming more environmentally conscious has played into its struggles.
Though the Fresno store is open, it has shrunk. Shoppers can no longer access the second and third floors that were full of merchandise when it opened in 2011.
Even the first floor has fewer racks. A wide swath of the store near the men’s section sat empty last week, with one of the north entrances blocked off.
Cost Plus World Market
The Cost Plus World Market in Fresno’s River Park is staying open, according to the company.
But the Visalia store is closing Jan. 25. A going-out-of-business sale is underway.
The retailer’s parent company, Bed Bath & Beyond, announced in October that it’s closing 60 stores. About 40 of those are Bed Bath & Beyond stores. The other 20 stores are from the other brands it owns, including Cost Plus.
The company still has more than 1,000 stores. The closures will increase the profitability of the remaining stores.
Macy’s
Macy’s is closing 28 stores, but the stores in Fresno and Visalia are not closing, according to a company spokeswoman. That includes the main Macy’s department stores, plus the Macy’s Men’s and discount Macy’s Backstage, which both will remain open, at Fashion Fair.
Most of the closures are on the East Coast and the northwestern part of the U.S.
Macy’s said the decision to close stores is part of its annual review process and an effort to focus on its most profitable stores.
Pier 1
Pier 1 is closing up to 450 stores – nearly half its locations, the home decor retailer announced last week.
None of the closures are happening at stores in Fresno, Clovis, or Visalia, according to employees at the stores.
Pier 1 has struggled with years of slipping sales and increasing competition from retailers like Wayfair.
Destination Maternity
The only Destination Maternity store in Fresno, in River Park, is closing.
The retailer selling clothing for pregnant women filed for bankruptcy in October and is closing 183 stores nationwide.
A going-out-of-business sale has started. Employees are telling customers that the store will remain open through March, though an exact closing date has not been set.
The retailer is struggling with debt and competition from other retailers.
This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 10:40 AM.
