Macy's Closing 100 Stores -- Could Arlington's Two Locations Be on the List?

ARLINGTON, VA — Macy's announced Thursday that it plans on closing about 100 stores by early 2017 due to pressure from online retailers and the recent great recession -- but it hasn't announced which stores will get the axe, and Arlington has two locations.

It seems unlikely that Macy's would be closing up shop at either the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City or at the Ballston Common Mall considering the fact that the county is a hotbed of business growth, but 100 stores is a significant number for the retailer. A Macy's press release announcing the changes said locations of stores that are closing "will be announced at a later date, once the company makes final decisions."

The loss of the Pentagon City mall Macy's would be especially shocking, considering the tremendous expansion the mall is currently undergoing and the fact that Macy's is the most prominently displayed store along Hayes Street.

The company still plans on keeping locations in 49 of the top 50 U.S. markets. Macy's currently operates 728 stores, including 675 "full-line" locations.

Macy's will focus its resources on its highest-performing stores while pouring more into "online shopping and mobile apps," according to the press release. In stores that stay open, Macy's plans to add new vendors and increased staffing. The company is planning on "infusing new technology, accentuating high-potential businesses such as fine jewelry, and creating new in-store events and experiences," the release said.

"Customers nearly everywhere in America will have easy access to Macy’s stores, with the additional convenience and increased functionality of our dynamic digital offering,” Macy's President Jeff Gennette said in the press release.

Employees who work at stores that are closing will be offered positions at nearby stores "where possible," Macy's says, and eligible part- and full-time employees will receive severance benefits.

In September, Macy's announced that it would be closing 40 locations.

Similar fates have befallen other major retailers. Walmart is slated to close 154 U.S. stores this year and just announced a $3 billion deal to purchase Jet.com as it looks to improve its online retail presence.

Sports Authority is closing all of its nationwide stores as it wades through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Target, Kmart, Sears, Kohl's and other major retailers have announced similar scale-backs.

Macy's was founded in 1858 when it opened four small department stores in Massachusetts. The company is now an iconic brand in retail nationwide and sponsors the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade through Midtown Manhattan.