Results: A Close Call For These Major Retail Stores This November

46 Sears and Kmart locations to the store closing list. Sears Holdings has already shut down several hundred unprofitable stores this year and has now decided to close even more in November 2018. "We continue to evaluate our network of stores, which is a critical component to our integrated retail transformation, and will make further adjustments as needed," Sears Holdings said in a news release.

Lowe's has announced that it's shutting down all 99 of the Orchard Supply Hardware stores that it owns. According to a news release, Lowe's says it's closing the Orchard stores, which are in California, Oregon and Florida, to focus on its core home improvement business. Along with the stores, a distribution facility that services them will be gone by the end of fiscal 2018.

Brookstone – 102 stores -- Mall retailer Brookstone announced on August 2 that it has filed for bankruptcy protection amid sagging sales. The seller of massage chairs, neck massagers and other travel items said it would close 102 of its mall stores. Meanwhile, an additional 35 airport-based locations will be put up for sale because they continue to meet revenue goals.

The Fresh Market – 15 stores -- The Fresh Market recently announced that it plans to close 15 stores in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. This comes after the company completed an organizational analysis, which focused on the retailer's overall growth strategy and long-term financial performance.

Toys R Us – 735 stores -- The iconic Wayne, New Jersey-based toy retailer is closing all of its 735 stores by June 29. Liquidation sales have been taking place at Toys R Us and Babies R Us locations nationwide since March 23.

Starbucks – 150 stores closing in 2019 -- "Starbucks is optimizing its U.S. store portfolio at a more rapid pace in FY19, including shifting new company-operated store growth to underpenetrated markets, slowing licensed store growth, and increasing the closure of underperforming company-operated stores in its most densely penetrated markets to approximately 150 in FY19 from a historical average of up to 50 annually. In FY19, this will result in a slightly lower growth rate in net new company-operated stores."

H&R Block – 400 locations -- It's the first retail casualty of the new tax law. Amid a shifting tax preparation landscape, H&R Block has announced plans to close some 400 stores as more customers go online for tax prep and the new tax law makes your return a little less complicated. Fortunately, no employees are expected to lose their jobs, as they will likely shift to other locations. The store closures represent just 4% of H&R Block's nearly 10,000 company-owned and franchise locations. "We aren't as relevant as we need to be to today's consumer," CEO Jeff Jones said of the news during an earnings conference call.

Kroger – 14 stores -- Kroger will reportedly close more than a dozen stores in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina because the grocery market there is over-saturated. Some 1,500 employees may lose their jobs.

Lord & Taylor – Up to 10 stores -- "We are also taking action to reposition Lord & Taylor for improved results and increased profitability. With a new leader dedicated to evolving our experience and merchandise assortment to best meet customer expectations and shopping preferences, we will take advantage of having a smaller footprint to rethink the model and focus on our digital opportunities. The Lord & Taylor flagship on Walmart.com, which launched last week, is a great example of this and represents how we are thinking about the entire business."

Bon-Ton – 256 stores -- The Bon-Ton Stores Inc., a department store chain, announced in mid-April that it's going out of business. The store has been an icon of retail since 1854 with 256 locations today in operation throughout 23 states in the Midwest, Northeast and upper Great Plains. Bon-Ton also owns six other nameplates: Boston Store, Younkers, Bergner's, Carson's, Elder-Beerman and Herberger's.

GNC – 200 stores -- Vitamin retailer GNC is shutting down about 200 stores in 2018. The company said efforts toward favorable lease renegotiations or relocation opportunities are ongoing and may impact the number of closings.

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J. Crew – 20 stores -- J.Crew Group announced in March that it plans to close 20 stores in 2018. It shut down 50 stores during fiscal 2017. The retailer says it's seeing results in its most important business — women's apparel — but the company is only in the beginning stages of evolving the J.Crew brand. In the fourth quarter of 2017, J.Crew sales decreased 4% and Madewell sales rose 32%.

Abercrombie & Fitch – 60 stores -- Abercrombie & Fitch isn't finished shrinking its retail footprint. The teen apparel company said it plans to close about 60 stores in the U.S. during the fiscal year as leases expire. CNBC reports that Abercrombie has been trimming its store count in malls because more people are buying clothes online.

Foot Locker – 110 stores -- Foot Locker is shutting down 110 stores in 2018. During a recent earnings call, Foot Locker executives said the retailer is continuing to close underperforming stores. The company has struggled with declining foot traffic at malls and the shift to e-commerce. Foot Locker reported a net loss of $49 million in the fourth quarter and comparable-store sales fell 3.7%.

Best Buy cell phone stores – 250 stores -- Your local mall may have another vacancy soon. Best Buy has announced that it will shut down 250 mall-based mobile phone stores in the United States, Reuters reports. The small-format stores will close May 31, but the retailer will continue to sell cell phones at its 1,000 U.S. big box stores and online.

J.C. Penney – 8 stores -- After closing more than 140 stores in 2017, J.C. Penney is shutting down one of its distribution centers and eight more stores nationwide, The Dallas Morning News reports. Around 670 jobs will be cut with the closing of the distribution center in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, this summer. Meanwhile, around 480 employees will be affected by the eight stores that are closing, which follows a post-holiday review. The locations will be shut down between now and May, according to CNBC.

Sam's Club – 63 stores -- "Transforming our business means managing our real estate portfolio and Walmart needs a strong fleet of Sam's Clubs that are fit for the future," said John Furner, president and CEO of Sam's Club. "We know this is difficult news for our associates and we are working to place as many of them as possible at nearby locations. Our focus today has been on those associates and their communities, and communicating with them."

Macy's – 11 stores -- Nearly a dozen Macy's department stores will soon be closing their doors forever. In a news release, the company announced the closure of 11 Macy's stores. It's part of the retailer's plan to close approximately 100 stores, which was announced back in August 2016. Macy's intends to close an additional 19 stores as leases or operating covenants expire or sale transactions are completed.

Gap and Banana Republic – 200 stores -- Gap Inc. plans to close 200 Gap and Banana Republic locations over the next three years, the company announced in September 2017. No list of the stores was released, but they're all "underperforming." At the same time, Gap Inc. will open 270 locations for its growing brands, Old Navy and Athleta.

Teavana – 379 stores -- Bad news for tea lovers! Starbucks plans to close every single one of its Teavana retail locations, according to a news release. Many of the 379 Teavana stores, which are primarily mall-based, have been underperforming. Starbucks said it tried to improve sales through creative merchandising and new store designs, but it just wasn't working.

Ascena Retail Group – At least 268 stores -- Ascena Retail Group, the women's clothing retailer that operates the brands Ann Taylor, Loft, Dress Barn, Lane Bryant, Justice and several others, is planning to close hundreds of stores. In June 2017, company executives announced that 667 stores are part of its fleet optimization program. At least 268 of those stores will definitely be closed by July 2019. The remaining 399 stores will be shut down if rent concessions aren't obtained through negotiations with landlords. The company didn't specify which locations will be closed.

Michael Kors – 100 to 125 stores -- Michael Kors is closing between 100 and 125 of its retail stores over the next two years. According to a May 2017 news release, the company is making the move to improve the profitability of its store fleet. No list of the affected stores was released.

Clark's key takeaway If you happen to receive a gift card for any of the retailers on this list, money expert Clark Howard wants you to spend it right away in case your local store is on the chopping block. "If you have any gift cards for major retailers, I want you to go and shop. I want you to use them up," Clark said.

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I have been shopping more online

I shop less because of money

I purchase more specialty store items elsewhere

Other (please specify)

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