Walk into a mall today and you might see the Red Star shining bright, or you might see a massive, hollowed-out ghost town where the perfume counter used to be. It’s enough to make you wonder: Is Macy's closing all stores? The short answer is no, but the long answer is a lot more complicated than a simple "yes" or "no" on a ticker tape.
Honestly, the retail giant is in the middle of a massive identity crisis—or a "Bold New Chapter," if you’re listening to the corporate office.
The 150-Store Reality Check
You’ve probably seen the headlines. Back in early 2024, Macy's announced they were axing roughly 150 underperforming locations by the end of 2026. This wasn't a sudden panic move; it was a calculated attempt to keep the ship from sinking. By the time we hit January 2026, the company had already shuttered about 120 of those.
Just this month, CEO Tony Spring—who took over the reins from Jeff Gennette—dropped another list of 14 stores scheduled to go dark by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
If your local spot is on that list, it feels like the end of the world. But for the company? It's basically pruning a garden. They are cutting off the dead weight to save the roots. Roughly 350 "go-forward" stores are being saved, polished, and pampered with better staffing and newer tech.
Why the "Everything Must Go" Rumors Won't Die
The internet loves a good "death of the mall" story. We see Sears go under, JCPenney struggle through bankruptcy, and Lord & Taylor vanish, so we assume Macy's is next.
But Macy's isn't just a department store anymore. It's a real estate play. Some of these buildings are worth more empty than they are filled with sweaters. In many cases, the company is selling off the land to developers who want to turn malls into luxury condos or "lifestyle centers."
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Also, let's talk about the "First 50" pilot. They took 50 stores, gave them a face-lift, added more workers, and actually made shopping... pleasant? It worked. Sales at those specific locations went up. This gave the board the confidence to double down on the remaining stores while letting the "zombie" stores in dead malls finally rest in peace.
Is Macy's Closing All Stores or Just the Ones We Don't Visit?
The strategy is pretty clear: if a store is in a mall that looks like the set of a post-apocalyptic movie, it’s probably gone.
Macy’s is focusing its cash on the "Reimagine" locations. These are the 125 stores where they’ve seen a 2.7% jump in sales because they actually have people working the fitting rooms and shoes that are in stock.
The 2026 "Chopping Block" List
If you’re looking for specifics, here are some of the big names that just got the bad news. These locations are expected to start clearance sales immediately:
- California: Grossmont Center in La Mesa and West Valley Mall in Tracy.
- New Jersey: Livingston Mall and the Interstate Shopping Center in Ramsey.
- New York: Boulevard Mall in Amherst.
- Georgia: Northlake Mall in Atlanta (a huge blow to that community).
- Pennsylvania: Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills in Tarentum.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for the employees. Tony Spring sent out a memo saying these decisions "are not made lightly." For those affected, the company usually offers transfers or severance, but it’s still the end of an era for those specific zip codes.
The Luxury Pivot: Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury
Here is the weird part: while Macy's stores are closing, their luxury brands are actually doing great.
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Bloomingdale’s just posted its best growth in over three years. Bluemercury, the beauty brand, has been on a winning streak for 19 consecutive quarters. Because of this, you’re going to see Macy’s leaning more into the "small-format" stores. These are tiny versions of Macy’s—often in strip malls rather than giant indoor malls—that focus on curated items you actually want to buy.
They’re basically trading 150,000 square feet of dusty shelves for 30,000 square feet of stuff people actually buy. It’s smart, but it’s a total shift in how we’ve shopped for the last fifty years.
What Happens Next?
If you're a regular shopper, don't expect the Red Star to disappear from the skyline of New York or Chicago anytime soon. The flagship Herald Square store is still the crown jewel, and it's not going anywhere.
The goal is to have about 350 high-performing Macy's stores left by the time 2027 rolls around. They want to be leaner, faster, and—most importantly—profitable. They’ve even opened a massive, high-tech fulfillment center to make sure your online orders don't take two weeks to arrive.
Actionable Insights for the Savvy Shopper:
- Check Your Local List: If your store is on the 2026 closure list, expect 40% to 70% off sales starting in mid-January. It’s the best time to grab high-end cookware or winter coats.
- Use Your Gift Cards: While Macy’s isn't going bankrupt, it’s always a good rule of thumb to use store credit while the store is still physically near you to handle returns.
- Explore the Small Formats: Look for "Bloomie’s" or smaller Macy’s locations opening in suburban plazas. They are way easier to navigate than the old "big box" anchors.
- Download the App: Since physical footprints are shrinking, the digital experience is where they are putting all their money. The app is usually where the real inventory lives now.
Macy's isn't dying; it's just getting a very expensive, very painful haircut. The stores that remain will likely look better and run smoother, but the era of the giant, three-story mall anchor is definitely fading into history.