business · 3 outlets · 3 linked reports
America's Store-Closure Wave Rolls On, With ~7,900 Shutdowns Projected for 2026
AI-assisted: summaries and questions may be incomplete or incorrect. Verify important details with the linked original reporting.
Summary
- US retailers closed 8,270 stores in 2025 against 5,270 openings — a net loss of about 3,000 — and roughly 7,900 closures are projected for 2026.
- GameStop (470+), Foot Locker (400) and 7-Eleven's parent (645) lead the planned 2026 closures, with more than 2,000 stores and restaurants set to go dark.
- Early-2026 bankruptcies included Saks Global, Francesca's and the operator of Eddie Bauer, though analysts say the pain is more company-specific than sector-wide.
The question
The 'retail apocalypse' is really a shakeout of weak chains, not a dying sector.
Open this story in Khali
Get Khali on the App Store