Waterford Macy's Among 2 In CT That Will Close: Report

WATERFORD, CT — The Connecticut locations are among Macy's stores that will shut down by the middle of this year, according to The Hartford Business Journal. One is at the Crystal Mall in Waterford and the other is at the Brass Mill Center in Waterbury.

They're among a total of 45 stores across the country that Macy's plans to close by mid-year, CNBC reported. In January last year, the department store chain announced 28 closings, including the Meriden location.

See related: Macy's Closing More Stores, 8 More CT Locations Threatened

The retail giant also operates stores in Danbury, Farmington, Manchester, Milford, Stamford, and Trumbull.

A Macy's official said in a statement that the move is in line with the company's focus on existing locations in "well-trafficked A and B malls," CNBC reported.

The company recently reported a same-store decline in quarterly earnings of 20 percent, as the pandemic has caused a reduction in spending on clothing and accessories. While digital sales grew by 27%, this wasn't enough to reverse the in-store losses, according to CNBC.

Macy's will invest more in its online store and mobile app, which generated more than $6 billion last year, CBS News reported. Another 80 stores are scheduled to shutter in 2022 and 2023.

The series of closings are part of a strategy to overhaul the 161-year-old retail giant, which has closed dozens of underperforming stores in recent years, many of them in shopping malls, as it invests more in its most lucrative properties, the Washington Post reported.

In August 2016, Macy's said it would close 100 stores. Since that announcement, the retail chain has been closing locations as their leases expire.

The news comes after another department store icon, Lord & Taylor, announced it will close four stores and layoff 150 workers. Lord & Taylor stores in Farmington, Stamford, Trumbull, and Danbury were all set to close last month.

See related: Demise Of Connecticut Lord & Taylor Stores Set For After Holidays