6 Chain Stores Closing In California By 2020

CALIFORNIA — The brick-and-mortar business landscape in California continues to change. Several national retailers announced store closings this summer, with plans to carry out those closings by the end of the year.

Some, like Kmart, are adding to a list of stores already slated for closure.

Others, like Bed Bath & Beyond, say they're scaling back retail operations and reinventing themselves as a brand. Unsuccessful stores will be closed as part of the new strategy, according to company officials.

By the time the holiday shopping season arrives, Californians can expect fewer chain stores to choose from.

Here's a look at the national retailers that announced store closings this summer:

Kmart, Sears

Kmart has announced another round of store closings. This time, two Kmarts in the Southern California cities of Desert Hot Springs and Redlands, and a Sears in the Northern California city of Antioch, are among 26 “large-format” stores the company said will close by the end of the year. READ MORE.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Bed Bath & Beyond, the popular home store with 100 locations in California, has a few changes coming to a chunk of its stores before Christmas, while underperforming locations might close or be relocated in the near future. READ MORE.

Dressbarn

All Dressbarn stores will be closing by the end of the year, the company announced this summer. Some locations have already closed. "We have received overwhelming landlord support for our plan, which will allow us to implement our wind down in a manner that provides the best recovery for our landlords. Further, we are current, and expect to remain so, with our vendors and suppliers," Steven Taylor, Dressbarn CFO, said in a statement over the summer.
Walgreens

The national pharmacy chain will be closing 200 stores in 2019, the company said in an August SEC filing. A list of locations to close was not released by the company.

GameStop

The video-game giant with more than 5,700 storefronts across the world, many right here in California, expects to close up to 200 of its underperforming stores by the end of this fiscal year. Investors were also advised this week of GameStop’s plans to shutter more stores by mid-2022 in another round of closures.

GameStop CFO Jim Bell said 195 storefronts were closed within the last year. A list of stores expected to close in 2019 was not immediately released by the company.

Pier 1

The home wares and furnishings chain has plans to close 57 stores by the end of 2019, USA Today reported. A list of locations was not released by the company.

Charming Charlie

Women's fashion accessory retailer Charming Charlie filed for bankruptcy and will close its roughly 260 stores across the country, including 20 in California. READ MORE.

See Also:

• Retailers You Won't Be Seeing In Calif. In 2019

— Patch staffer Kara Seymour contributed to this report.