Last fall, Macy’s announced that it would be closing around 100 stores in 2017. Local retail analysts told Columbus Underground at that point in time that this news could possibly affect local stores at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing and Eastland Mall.
Today, Macy’s confirmed that speculation as truth.
Both stores (one at Eastland and one at Tuttle) will be shuttered within the next several months as 68 stores across the US go dark. The Mall at Tuttle Crossing currently has two Macy’s anchors, and the second store will remain open. Clearance sales are expected to begin on Monday, January 9th and will last approximately eight to twelve weeks, placing the final store closure dates sometime in March or April.
“It is essential that we maintain a healthy portfolio of the right stores in the right places,” said Terry J. Lundgren, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc. “Our plan to close approximately 100 stores over the next few years is an important part of our strategy to help us right-size our physical footprint as we expand our digital reach. We are closing locations that are unproductive or are no longer robust shopping destinations due to changes in the local retail shopping landscape, as well as monetizing locations with highly valued real estate. These are never easy decisions, and we are committed to treating associates affected by these closings with respect and transparency.”
A total of 125 local employees will be affected by the closure of the two stores, and a combined 348,000 square feet of vacant anchor retail space will hit the two suburban shopping malls.
The only two other Ohio store closures include Macy’s locations in Sandusky and Steubenville.
Representatives at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing and Eastland Mall have been reached out to for comment, but have not responded as of the time of publishing.