Retail Apocalypse: 3 More Chains Closing California Stores

CALIFORNIA, CA — As yet another sign of the times in the world of retail, three more major U.S. businesses have announced plans to close stores with operations in California. The most recent wave of stores shuttering includes Golden State locations of Bed Bath & Beyond, Express and Pier 1 Imports.

Pier 1 Imports is closing hundreds of stores, the company announced last week. The retail chain said up to 450 locations — about half of its total — would be closed to “better align its business with the current operating environment.”

The company plans to close certain distribution centers and lower its corporate spending, as well as lay off workers at the corporate level.

The home furnishing store is using a third-party liquidator to help with the closings, noting that its lenders signed off on its plan to reduce its brick-and-mortar footprint.

Robert Riesbeck, CEO and CFO of the retail chain, thanked store workers for their hard work and commitment to serving customers.

“Although decisions that impact our associates are never easy, reducing the number of our brick-and-mortar locations is a necessary business decision,” he said in a statement.

The planned closures come as the company deals with less foot traffic.

Net sales for the third quarter plummeted more than 13 percent to $358.4 million. That number was $413.2 million in the same quarter for the previous fiscal year. Company comparable sales fell more than 11 percent compared to the same period a year ago.

In California, Pier 1 operates dozens of stores. The company would not immediately provide a list of those stores closing, however representatives did say that any stores closing have been removed from the "locations" list if you search for a specific store.

Los Angeles Daily News reports that there are a total of 19 stores closing in Southern California alone.

You can search here for a specific location to confirm if it will remain open.

Meanwhile, clothing retailer Express is also closing several stores across the nation.

The fashion store will close 31 stores by the end of the month, including four stores in California, the company announced.

The retailer plans to close stores in 20 states, a move that follows the closure of nine locations in 2019, according to last week’s announcement. An additional 35 locations are expected to close by the end of January 2021, leaving a remaining 25 to shutter next year, Business Insider reports.

There were 59 Express stores in California, with four of them affected by the closures. According to Business Insider and the Express website, these California locations are now closed:

• Citrus Heights: Located at 6041 Sunrise Blvd.
• Fairfield: Located at 1350 Travis Blvd
• San Jose: Located at 925 Blossom Hill Rd.
• Visalia: Located at 2031 S Mooney Blvd.

The closures are part of a new corporate strategy aimed at reducing costs and providing a boost to the struggling brand, according to a statement on the company’s website.

Finally, Bed Bath & Beyond is closing stores across the U.S., though most California stores have been spared. The store at 2886 West Grant Line Road in Tracy will be affected in a series of nationwide closures, according to a statement from Bed Bath & Beyond.

"We’re giving our most popular stores a multi-million dollar facelift and continually investing in our digital platform to give customers an even better shopping experience in store or at home," a company representative told Patch via email. "We are also closing a limited number of stores that no longer meet the standards our customers expect from us, including our Tracy location in Tracy, CA."

That store is expected to close sometime in 2020. There are 95 other stores located in California, according to the company website.

SEE ALSO:

• Another Retail Chain Closing All Calif. Stores: Report
• CA Chain Restaurant Closures: Major Eateries Shutter In 2019-2020
• Dozens Of California Chain Stores Close In 2019-2020

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Patch reporter Dan Hampton contributed to this report.