Special offer

Retail Closures ... coming to a mall near you?

By
Real Estate Agent with Kiemle & Hagood

2008 was one of the worst years on record for retailers.  The following list was assembled from Forbes, ICSC, Dollars & Centers, and Shopnet.  All of these retailers have begun closures with some completing liquidating as noted.  The list reads like the store directory at pretty much any mall in the United States!

Mervyns - all stores
Linens & Things - all stores
Circuit City - all stores
Ann Taylor
Movie Gallery - all stores
Ethan Allen
Dell
Friedmands
Sears
Pier 1
Sigird Olsen
Talbots
J Jill
Home Depot
Footlocker
Champs Sports
Bombay
Disney
Macy's
JcPenny - scaled back expansion, possible closures
Lowes
Sharper Image - all stores
Wilson Leather
Cache
KB Toys
Dillards
CompUSA
Steve & Barrys - all stores
Office Deport - significant closures
Rite Aid - significant closures
Saks
Fashion Bug
Catherine's
Lane Bryant
Gap - significant closures
Old Navy
Starbucks - scaled back plans
Eddie Bauer
Ann Taylor
Zales
Pep Boys
Sprint Nextel
Pacific Sunwear
Timberland

And those are the ones that I have heard about, then confirmed via at least two sources.  Pretty frightening times in the retail segment of the commercial marketplace.  It will be interesting to see who and what type of uses fill the voids, especially if/when larger players in the market leave.  About ten years ago we went through a contraction and witnessed the closure of many movie theaters.  Those closures sparked opportunity and I specifically remember some of the interesting reuses we saw for those theaters.

 

 

Chris Schreiber, CCIM
Century 21 Commercial, RiverStone

 

John Walters
Frank Rubi Real Estate - Slidell, LA
Licensed in Louisiana

Chris I have been hearing and reading of these things for over two years now.  I guess they were correct?

Jan 23, 2009 12:25 PM
Ted Jernigan
Ebby Halliday Real Estate - McKinney, TX

If the consumer is not driving the economy, what are we going to do with all this retail space?

Jan 23, 2009 12:31 PM
Angelia Garcia
Pure Realtors - Dallas, TX

More job losses.  What is left to do? Medical, fast food, teaching, at home business, daycare these have not had a reaction to the economy, right?

Jan 23, 2009 12:43 PM
TIM MONCRIEF
Tim Monciref - Austin, TX
Over 2,000 homes sold…..

This is not a reaction from what we have seen over the past few months.  These companies have been dealing with issues for years.  If any retail company falters over have a couple of bad quarters, they should go away.  It is not just the consumer that has been over leveraging.....very large companies joined the bandwagon along time ago.  Why a retail company does not have funds or access to funds to maintain themselves for at least a year is mind boggling.  Great post....

Jan 23, 2009 12:48 PM
Russ Ravary ~ Metro Detroit Realtor call (248) 310-6239
Real Estate One - Commerce, MI
Michigan homes for sale ~ yesmyrealtor@gmail.com

It is going to get real scary real quick.  Consumers did drive the market.

Jan 23, 2009 01:18 PM
real estate real estate
Providence, RI

At the end, I wish we all need to buy either from walmart for everything or just from online. Price will surely go up.

Jan 23, 2009 02:18 PM
Bob & Carolin Benjamin
Benjamin Realty LLC - Gold Canyon, AZ
East Phoenix Arizona Homes

The list keeps getting longer and longer. When will it stop.

Jan 23, 2009 02:58 PM
Chris Schreiber
Kiemle & Hagood - Sandpoint, ID
CCIM

I think all those folks employed in retail should go take their real estate license courses and become a real estate agent.  It's easy money and you don't have to work very much.

 

SERIOUSLY - WAS RECENTLY TOLD THAT BY A COLLEAGUE THAT LEFT THE RETAIL FIELD!  I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT THAT IMAGE AND MAKE SURE CLIENTS KNOW HOW HARD WE ACTUALLY WORK FOR THEM!!  IT DRIVES ME CRAZY.

Jan 24, 2009 12:33 AM
Chris Schreiber
Kiemle & Hagood - Sandpoint, ID
CCIM

FYI - to add to the List, Home Depot announced the elimination of 7,000 jobs today.  Not a big shocker with the slump in home prices, home improvement is also suffering in a big way.

 

Jan 26, 2009 08:31 AM