I know that many of us might be holding onto gift cards with plans to make holiday purchases.  I hate to be the bearer of more bad news but this is important.  I just received this notice and wanted to share:

STORE CLOSINGS AND LAYOFFS: By the end of Dec. 2008 If you have gift cards, hurry up and use them!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide.
A company spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which stores
will be shuttered. It will let the stores that will close this fiscal year know
over the next month


Eddie Bauer to close more stores.
Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and plans
to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year.


Cache closing stores.
Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores
this year.


Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores nationwide.
The owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug, Catherine's Plus Sizes will
close about 150 underperforming stores this year. The company
hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it
will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today.


Talbots, J. Jill closing stores.
About a mont h ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all 78
of its kids and men 's stores. Now t he company says it will close
another 22 underperforming stores. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots
women's and J Jill, another chain it owns. The closures will occur this fiscal year,
according to a company press release.



Gap Inc. closing 85 stores
In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and Banana
Republic . The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal 2008 -
will be weighted toward the Ga p brand.


Foot Locker to close 140 stores
In the company press release and during its conference call with analysts
today, it did not specify where the future store closures - all planned in
fiscal 2008 - will be. The company could not be immediately reached for
comment


Wickes is going out of business
Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores.
Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers,
filed for bankruptcy protecti on last month.


Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores
The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to close
82 stores by Jul y 31. Today, it announced that it is closing another 23
underperforming stores. The company said it's not providing a list
of specific store closures. Of the 105 locations planned for closure, 50
are kiosks and 55 are stores.



Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores The Walt Disney
Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The
Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired
will depend on negotiations with landlords. Those subsidiaries of
Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. In the news rel
ease, Disney said it has also obtained the right to close about 98 Disney
Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores.


CompUSA (CLOSED) clarifies details on store closings Any extended
warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a
third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and
rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during
the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in for service
with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to
owners.


Macy's - 9 stores


Pep Boys - 33 stores


Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations
New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company
bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax
on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000
postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7%
of its work force (following th e 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of
company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other
rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel
shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.


J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back



Ethan Allen Interiors - The company announced plans to close 12 of 300+
stores in an effort to cut costs.


Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores


Pacific Sun wear will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of
strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand Seventy-four underperforming
Demo stores closed last May.


Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and
announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still
operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed
poorly and also may close.


Bombay Company
The company unveiled plans to close all 384 U.S.-based Bombay Company
stores. The company's o nline storefront has discontinued operations.


KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the United
States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of
store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press
Information



Dillard's to Close More Stores
Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing
underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in 2008.
At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the
company will close another six underperforming stores this year.