All articles tagged with #retail closures
Crumbl Cookies is closing at least 57 stores in 2026 amid a sharp sales decline. CEO Jason McGowan has publicly accepted blame for the downturn, while traffic at the chain's 1,000+ locations dropped 32% year-over-year. Industry experts cite over-expansion, shifting consumer habits, and the rise of weight-loss medications as key factors behind the cookie chain's struggles.
Chip City, the viral cookie chain founded in Astoria, Queens, has permanently closed all remaining U.S. locations following a sudden shutdown order issued on Thursday. The closure follows a lawsuit filed by co-founder Peter Phillips against the company and its private equity backer, Enlightened Hospitality Investments, alleging breach of contract and wage theft. While the company cited 'macro-economic headwinds' and insufficient funding, internal documents suggest significant financial irregularities, including over $900,000 in disputed expenses. Employees are to be paid through October 18, and a burglary at a Manhattan location has prompted an NYPD investigation.
Chip City permanently closed all remaining locations on October 2, 2026, citing macro-economic headwinds and lack of funding. The shutdown followed a lawsuit by co-founder Peter Phillips over unpaid severance and coincided with a reported burglary at the Upper West Side location. Employees are to be paid through October 18, though the abrupt closure may violate New York’s WARN Act.
Cato Fashions will close 120 stores by the end of 2026, a significant increase from its initial projection of 40 to 50 closures. The Charlotte-based company cites weak consumer discretionary spending as the primary driver, with CEO John Cato stating that marginal locations are unlikely to improve. The move reduces the chain’s footprint to 850 locations and is expected to cost between $1 million and $1.3 million in exit expenses.
Starbucks has closed approximately 250 locations across North America, representing 1% of its 18,000-store network. The move, announced by COO Mike Grams on September 24, 2026, is part of a $300 million restructuring effort. While the company cites the 'Back to Starbucks' strategy to improve customer experience, fans and workers have reacted with frustration over the sudden, unannounced closures.
Starbucks is closing 250 locations across North America, representing roughly 1% of its 18,000-store network. The closures, announced by Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams, target stores that fail to meet financial or customer experience standards. In Virginia, four locations are shutting, including two in Richmond, one in Charlottesville, and one in Harrisonburg. This is the second major round of closures under CEO Brian Niccol, who joined in 2024. Employees will be transferred where possible or offered severance. The move follows a previous closure of 627 stores in 2025 and coincides with rising global comparable-store sales.
A Starbucks location in Greenville County, South Carolina, has closed as part of a broader national reduction of 250 underperforming stores. The closure, announced via a window sign at the 5008 Old Spartanburg Road location, is part of a $300 million restructuring plan. While local outlets report emotional community impacts, corporate officials cite financial performance and customer experience standards as the primary drivers for the cuts.
Starbucks is closing 250 underperforming locations across North America, including 36 in Southern California, as part of a strategic reduction of its store count. The move follows a broader restructuring effort led by CEO Brian Niccol to improve financial performance and customer experience. While the company cites objective performance metrics, union representatives allege the closures may be retaliatory against organized workers, particularly in Eugene, Oregon.
A historic Starbucks location in Burbank, California, known locally as 'Bobbucks' for its proximity to Bob’s Big Boy, will close on September 26 after nearly three decades of operation. The closure coincides with a broader corporate initiative to shutter 250 underperforming stores across North America, though it remains unclear if this specific location is part of that financial restructuring or a separate decision.
Starbucks is closing 250 North American stores, including six in the Sacramento area and two in Charlotte, as part of its 'Back to Starbucks' strategy. The closures, announced on September 24, 2026, affect roughly 1% of the company's 18,000 locations. Employees were notified on Thursday, with some stores closing as early as Saturday. The move follows a previous wave of 627 closures in 2025 and has drawn criticism from the Starbucks Workers United union, which calls the plan a betrayal of workers.
Starbucks is closing approximately 250 underperforming locations in North America this week, a move representing about 1% of its regional portfolio. CEO Brian Niccol announced the closures as part of a broader turnaround strategy, with the company expecting to incur $300 million in restructuring charges. While net new openings in North America are reduced, international markets will drive expansion, with 440 new cafes projected for fiscal 2026.
Starbucks is closing approximately 250 underperforming locations in North America, representing about 1% of its regional portfolio. This move, announced by CEO Brian Niccol, is part of a broader turnaround strategy focused on improving customer experience and financial performance. The company expects to incur $300 million in restructuring charges, primarily from lease exits and employee separation benefits. While net new openings in North America are reduced, international markets will drive expansion, with 440 new cafes projected for fiscal 2026.
Marmalade Cafe, a 36-year-old Southern California brunch chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 2, 2026. The Encino-based company, which now operates only four locations, cited mounting supplier debts and rent disputes as primary causes. The filing follows the closure of several high-profile locations, including the Calabasas and Santa Monica sites, due to construction disruptions and financial losses. While the chain has downsized from over 200 employees to approximately 50, management remains optimistic about the viability of its remaining stores.
Apple will close three stores in June, including Towson, Maryland—the first U.S. store to unionize with IAM CORE; the union contract runs through 2027. Apple frames the closures as a response to declining mall traffic and a shift away from mall locations, while IAM contends the move is an attempt to bust the union. Employees at the two other closing stores (Escondido, CA and Trumbull, CT) will be reassigned to nearby locations, and the broader unionization effort has faced pushback in some markets.
Amazon plans to retire its Amazon One palm-ID system for retail on June 3, 2026, as it closes all Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations and shifts emphasis to Whole Foods and grocery delivery. Customer data will be securely deleted, and unenrollment is available; some locations may remove devices earlier, with healthcare-site check-ins continuing for now.