All articles tagged with #store closures
MTY Group announced it will close 45–50 Papa Murphy’s locations over the next six to nine months after a performance review found the take-and-bake chain underperforming, a move meant to reduce losses and refocus resources on stronger brands. The closures come as MTY manages a large portfolio and Papa Murphy’s US presence has fallen from 1,168 stores in 2023 to 1,014 in 2025, with further shutter plans possible.
OutKick reports Hooters has closed multiple locations in liberal-led states, notably Massachusetts and New York, leaving Michigan with a single remaining store. Company leadership hints at western expansion and a Hooters movie, indicating strategic shifts behind the closures amid a evolving domestic footprint.
T-Mobile plans to shrink its physical store footprint by shuttering many third-party retailer locations (TPRs) on July 1 as part of its shift to a digital-first strategy under the T-Life initiative. Corporate-owned stores are largely spared, and some TPRs are being absorbed by others (e.g., Arch Telecom) to consolidate locations. The move aims to push customers toward T-Mobile’s COR stores and the T-Life app, which now has millions of users, while driving more traffic online and at remaining stores.
Apple is permanently closing three U.S. stores today—Towson Town Center (Maryland), North County in Escondido (California), and Trumbull (Connecticut)—citing the departure of retailers and declining mall conditions; affected employees may transfer to nearby Apple stores, and the Towson closure has drawn criticism from the union and lawmakers given its history of unionization.
Papa John’s is accelerating a plan to close about 300 underperforming restaurants by end-2027, with 44 locations shut in Q1 2026 across 17 states (mostly franchised and more than a decade old) to boost profitability and franchisee health. Management says closures target restaurants averaging under $600,000 in annual sales and will be offset by cost savings and a stronger supply chain, with roughly 200 closings expected in 2026 to concentrate resources in priority markets.
West Marine is closing five Washington locations (Bellingham, Bremerton, Everett, Spokane, and Port Townsend) after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, part of a broader plan to reduce debt and stabilize operations. The retailer will shutter 59 stores nationwide butcontinue operating in about 200, with online and West Marine Pro App support. The company aims to emerge from Chapter 11 by August 20, subject to court approvals and milestones including a potential June auction.
Starbucks Korea will close all its outlets at 3pm next Monday to conduct mandatory historical awareness and social sensitivity training following a marketing campaign that invoked the 1980 Tank Day crackdown, which led to public backlash and the firing of the local CEO; the nationwide early closure is the first of its kind since its Korea launch in 1999 and aims to prevent similar PR missteps by educating leadership and staff about the country’s democracy history.
Apple will permanently close three U.S. stores—Trumbull, CT; North County in Escondido, CA; and Towson Town Center in Towson, MD—by the evening of June 20, citing declining mall conditions. Towson workers are unionized under IAM CORE with a 2024 contract; the union alleges unequal treatment as non‑union staff can transfer while Towson staff cannot. Apple says it is honoring the contract, offering severance unless a new store opens within 50 miles within 18 months (with right of first refusal for affected employees). Apple has no current plans for a nearby replacement.
Swatch's Royal Pop watch, created with Audemars Piguet, drew huge queues and forced some stores to close for safety across the UK, France and Switzerland; the £335 timepiece is already appearing in high online resales, with buyers flipping it for around £1,000 and listings up to £16,000.
The Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop pocket watch drop sparked chaotic scenes at Swatch stores worldwide, prompting police presence and several store closures for safety, plus arrests; dedicated fans waited in lines for days, with some watches resold for thousands on secondary markets. Swatch says the collection will remain available for months and urged calm.
Surging crowds for the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop Collection led to multiple Swatch store closures in the U.S. and Europe to ensure safety; at least 19 U.S. locations paused sales, with scenes in New York, Atlanta, Chicago and London. The watches cost $400–$420 and the collection is not a limited edition, but Swatch warned queues could be capped in some places and sales paused for safety.
Seven & i Holdings says its North American unit will close 645 stores in fiscal 2026, with some converted to wholesale fuel outlets, as openings there lag closures. The parent also projects a 9.4% revenue drop for the year while pursuing growth abroad and via initiatives like fresh food and 7NOW delivery.
7-Eleven's North American unit plans to close 645 stores in fiscal 2026, more than the 205 it expects to open, with many closures tied to converting sites to wholesale fuel stores; Seven & i expects revenue to fall about 9.4% for the year as it shifts growth outside North America and boosts offerings like fresh food and 7NOW, under new CEO Stephen Hayes Dacus.
Seven-Eleven plans a major retrenchment, announcing the closure of about 645 North American stores as part of a broader restructuring of its footprint and operations.
Apple will permanently close three U.S. stores in June, including Towson Town Center in Maryland—the first Apple location in the U.S. unionized—while Trumbull and North County staff will transfer to nearby stores per the union contract; Towson workers may apply for open roles or receive severance if no new store opens within 50 miles within 18 months. IAM CORE says the move could be union-busting and is exploring legal options.