Westfarms Remains Key Location For Macy's Amid Closures

FARMINGTON/WEST HARTFORD, CT — The Westfarms Macy's store is not one of two in Connecticut designated for closure as the department store icon embarks on further roster cuts in 2021.

That decision is consistent with an announcement last year that led to expansion at Westfarms, a mall spokeswoman said.

As many as 45 Macy's stores could close this year, company officials said this week. On Wednesday, Macy's officials confirmed Waterbury and Waterford are on the closure list.

As many as 125 stores could close by 2023, Macy's officials have said.

"After careful consideration, Macy’s has decided to close our Brass Mill Center and Crystal Mall locations," Macy's officials said of the respective Connecticut mall locations in a statement sent to Patch Wednesday. "The closures are part of the company’s strategy announced in early 2020."

Macy's officials said regular, non-seasonal employees will be offered positions at other locations and those unable to relocated will be eligible for severance, including "outplacement resources."

Clearance sales at both locations will begin this month and run for eight to 12 weeks, officials said.

"The decision to close a store is always a difficult one, but Macy's Brass Mill Center and Crystal Mall are honored to have served our customers and the community over the years, and we look forward to continuing to do so at our other Connecticut locations," Macy's statement said.

The pair of closures leaves Macy's with Connecticut stores in:

• Manchester
• Farmington-West Hartford
• Milford
• Trumbull
• Stamford
• Danbury

A full list of store closures is available here.

Macy's currently operates 544 of its namesake department stores, along with 34 Bloomingdale’s locations, 19 Bloomingdale’s outlets and 166 Bluemercury shops, according to its website.

In a November earnings report, Macy’s declared that same-store sales for the quarter declined by greater than 20 percent and cited the coronavirus pandemic.

Digital sales grew by 27 percent, but the gains were not enough to offset store-related losses, according to the report.

Officials said Macy's is "committed to rightsizing our store fleet" by concentrating existing retail locations in "desirable and well-trafficked A and B malls."

Last August, Macy's expanded its presence at Westfarms with one of its Macy's Backstage stores.

Macy's actually began construction the previous January, but work stalled because of the coronavirus pandemic and it finally opened in the summer. The Backstage consists of about 16,000 feet of retail space on the first floor of the existing Macy's.