The department store closed 4 in the state in 2016.
The Macy’s department store chain continues to contract as it fulfills its 2016 mission to close at least 100 under-performing stores.
The list of closings grew this week as the company added 7 stores to its list, bringing the total to 81.
“The company intends to close approximately 19 additional stores as leases or operating covenants expire or sale transactions are completed,” according to a corporate news release. “These closures are part of a multi-year effort by the company to ensure the optimal mix of brick & mortar stores and digital footprint.”
The closings affect:
Four additional stores will close in January. Each were previously announced:
Macy’s has closed 124 stores since 2015. Previous Michigan store closings include Eastland Mall in Harper Woods, Westland Mall, Lansing Mall and Lakeview Square Mall in Battle Creek.
The Fort Gratiot store is near Port Huron in Michigan’s Thumb region near Lake St. Clair.
Birchwood Mall is owned by Rouse Properties, one of the largest mall operators in the U. S. Anchors there include a 10-screen theater, Dunham’s, JC Penney and Target. The mall’s Sears store closed in 2016.
As Macy’s announced store closings, it also said its comparable store sales increased 1 percent during the holiday shopping season. Total sales are expected to be down between 3.6 percent and 3.9 percent in fiscal 2017.
“Consumers were ready to spend this season, and we delivered with solid execution, fresher inventory, a curated gift assortment and a focus on customer experience. We saw improved sales trends in our stores and continued to see double-digit growth on our digital platforms. Customers also responded well to our new loyalty program,” said Jeff Gennette, Macy’s, Inc. chief executive officer, in the news release.
