In 2019, there were a record number of store closures, with reportedly more than 9,300 locations closed by retailers in the U.S. While these closures may signal a streamlined approach to retail in 2020, they also marked a consumer shift from brick-and-mortar stores to online shopping. Here’s a look back at 2019 and all the retailers that closed stores during the year.

A.C. Moore

A.C. Moore suffered store closures, closing all of its 145 U.S. locations in 2019. The company sold a portion of its stores to Micheals but shuttered the remaining locations as it faced strong competition online and against other arts and crafts retailers.

A’gaci

A’gaci filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in August. The women’s apparel retailer closed all 54 of its stores as part of the bankruptcy filing, citing a consumer trend towards other retail chains, CNBC reported.

Barneys New York

As Barneys New York filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August, the retailer announced that it would be closing 15 stores. The company was eventually sold to Authentic Brands, keeping only the Madison Avenue store in operation as it looked to negotiate its lease with the landlord.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Another retailer that has been struggling is Bed Bath & Beyond. The company said it expected to shut down 60 stores in fiscal 2019, increasing the number from 40. With a new CEO at the helm, Bed Bath & Beyond has ousted seven executives from its team as the retailer looks for a turnaround to survive in 2020.

Charlotte Russe

Charlotte Russe also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019, closing more than 500 stores nationwide. The retailer’s intellectual property was sold to YM Inc., which had plans to keep some of the stores operational. Despite the deal, Charlotte Russe will still see stores close, but the exact number is unknown.

Charming Charlie

Charming Charlie not only closed all 261 of its stores by the end of August, but the retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with the announcement of the closures. The jewelry and accessory retailer also filed for bankruptcy two years earlier and finally met its demise in 2019.

Chico’s

Chico’s has plans in place to close 75 stores in 2019. The woman’s retailer has more than 1,300 locations in North America and has seen its appeal dwindle as consumers look online for apparel, the news outlet said. The company also owns the White House Black Market and Soma brands.

CVS

CVS announced that it would be closing 46 stores in 2019. The company made the decision to close locations that were underperforming. The company has about 9,600 stores nationwide.

Destination Maternity

Destination Maternity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October, closing a number of stores in the process. The company is expected to be purchased by Marquee Brands, allowing the retailer to emerge from bankruptcy after a full evaluation of its store portfolio.

Dressbarn

Dressbarn met its fate in May, closing all 650 stores prior to the sale of its intellectual property to Retail Ecommerce Ventures. Ascena Retail Group, the parent company of Dressbarn, said the closures would allow it to focus on its more profitable brands – Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, Lane Bryant, Catherines, and Justice. The retailer did say that it would launch a new Dressbarn website in 2020.

Forever 21

In September, Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy protection, pulling out of some international markets and closing dozens of stores in the U.S. The retailer, which had more than 800 stores worldwide, previously saw fast growth that eventually was its shortcoming as it fought to stay relevant in the teen market. The company is expected to shutter dozens of stores in the U.S. but has not announced exactly how many will close.

Fred’s

Fred’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September and announced several rounds of store closures following the news. Despite its best efforts, the retailer closed all of its more than 500 stores for good. With stiff competition from other pharmacy and drugstore retailers, Fred’s couldn’t compete and ended its operations as a result.

GameStop

Plagued with a drop in sales, struggling retailer GameStop closed about 200 stores globally. While the company has more than 5,700 locations worldwide, it saw its sales dwindle as consumers looked to streaming video games instead. GameStop has also had a stream of layoffs as it consolidated manager territories and reduced its overall workforce.

Gap

Gap announced that it would close 15 of its stores, which was net of any opening or repositioning. According to CNBC, the total store closures under the Gap brand was 130 as the company looked to focus on its better-performing brands – Old Navy and Athleta. The company is also looking to spin off the Old Navy brand into its own company in 2020.

GNC

GNC suffered a fate like many, with plans to close about 900 stores by the end of 2020. With many stores located in malls, GNC saw its foot traffic decline and made the announcement that it would close locations that were underperforming.

Gymboree

Gymboree suffered the fate of many retailers, filing for Chapter 11 in January. The retailer said at the time that it would close all 800 of its Gymboree and Crazy 8 stores. The company has since sold the rights to its Gymboree and Crazy 8 brands to The Children’s Place and its Janie and Jack brand to Gap.

J.C. Penney

J.C. Penney is one retailer that seems to be making a comeback after it announced that it would close 18 stores and nine home and furniture locations. The company may have more closures in 2020, but it has been making strides in its transformation, adding new brands, store concepts, and apparel collections.

Payless ShoeSource

As Payless ShoeSource announced it was filing for bankruptcy in February, the company closed all 2,500 of its stores located in North America. At the time, the company had $470 million in outstanding debt and reported losses of $63 million in 2018, CNBC said. This was the second time the shoe retailer filed for bankruptcy, closing its doors for good with the Chapter 11 filing.

Party City

Party City is suffering the same fate as many retailers, closing 55 stores in 2019. After first announcing that it would close 45 locations, the company increase that number in August, CNBC said. PartyCity has seen a global helium shortage, which caused the retailer to struggle, but it has since found a source for its balloon products, according to the news outlet.

Pier 1 Imports

Struggling retailer Pier 1 Imports said it would close about 70 stores in 2019 and could close more if it couldn’t negotiate its lease terms with its landlords. The company has seen slumping sales as consumers turn towards online retailers for their home décor needs.

Sears And Kmart

Following its October 2018 bankruptcy, Sears, along with Kmart, saw closures at a number of stores. Even after a $5.2 billion deal with Eddie Lampert’s hedge fund, the retailer continued to close locations, now operating only 182 locations out of 425 that were acquired during the purchase. The new company operating Sears and Kmart, Transformco, also laid-off workers at its corporate headquarters in 2019.

Shopko

Shopko also closed stores in 2019, following a January bankruptcy filing. The retailer liquidated more than 300 stores, closing down its operations for good.

Victoria’s Secret

Victoria’s Secret closed 53 stores after its parent company L Brands found itself irrelevant to female buyers that were looking for a more diverse and independent women’s voice. With competition for online intimate apparel retailers such as Adore Me and Third Love, Victoria’s Secret has seen executive departures and enacted worker layoffs as it looks to find itself with new brands and creative marketing strategies.

Walgreens

Walgreen’s also closed about 200 stores in 2019 out of its portfolio of 9,600 U.S. locations. The retailer said at the time that the store closures were part of a cost-cutting measure that would allow the company to focus on more profitable locations going forward, the news outlet reported.

Z Gallerie

Z Gallerie also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March, with reported plans in place to close 17 of its 76 stores. The retailer was then bought by DirectBuy, which said it would keep at least 32 stores open, CNBC said. Z Gallerie felt the pinch as it failed to invest in e-commerce as shoppers’ preferences changed and moved toward online purchases, according to the news outlet.

retail stores closing
Store signs announcing a store closing sale are on display on the windows of a Kmart store scheduled to close on Feb. 7, 2003, in Southfield, Michigan. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
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