Which California retailers have announced large-scale store closure plans for 2025–2026, and what are the documented counts?
Executive summary
Several national and regional retailers have publicly announced multi-store shrinkage that will affect California in 2025–2026, with documented counts ranging from single‑digit California-specific closures to nationwide plans that translate into dozens or hundreds of shuttered locations in the state; the clearest, repeatedly cited plans include Macy’s (150 underperforming stores nationally, with dozens already confirmed and several California closures) and Party City (full U.S. wind‑down that included roughly 75–80 California locations) [1][2][3].
1. Macy’s and department‑store retrenchment: a named, multi‑year plan
Macy’s announced a three‑year strategy to close about 150 underperforming stores nationwide as part of “A Bold New Chapter,” confirming 66 of those closures and reporting a mix of nationwide and California‑specific shutdowns — Macy’s closed nine California stores in 2025 and has additional California closures reported for 2026 as part of the same plan [1][3][4][5].
2. Party City: an outright U.S. exit with a large California toll
Party City announced it would close all remaining U.S. stores, with reporting placing the chain’s remaining California footprint at roughly 75–80 locations affected; sources describe staggered shutdowns through early 2025 and list dozens of California closures tied to the bankruptcy and wind‑down [2][1][6][3].
3. Big‑box and specialty chains naming large numeric reductions
Several other national chains have quantified multi‑hundred or multi‑dozen reductions that impact California: Big Lots disclosed a Chapter 11 plan that included closing 300 stores nationwide with reporting that 74 of those were in California [6]; Foot Locker had previously signaled up to 400 store closures across a 2023–2026 timeframe and continued to announce smaller waves (including eight slated for 2025) as the company repositions its physical footprint [1][7]; and Torrid expanded an initial 40–50 closure estimate into a plan to shutter as many as 180 stores as it shifts to a digital model, with California locations counted among those affected [8][3].
4. Grocery, drugstore and convenience plays: targeted regional cuts
Grocery and pharmacy chains are also trimming locations: Kroger said it would close about 60 “unprofitable” stores nationally through 2026 (affecting its banners such as Ralphs and Food 4 Less in California) though Kroger did not publish a full closure list [9]; Walgreens announced a long‑range plan to shutter more than 1,200 stores over several years with reporting noting a dozen California closures in 2025 tied to that effort [10][3]; and The Raley’s Companies confirmed two California store closures in early 2026 [11].
5. Children’s, apparel and other chains with announced reduction totals
Carter’s publicly outlined plans to close “low‑margin” stores with company comments suggesting roughly 100 locations could be closed by 2026, while 7‑Eleven planned to close 148 U.S. stores in 2025 even as it opened new units — both moves affect California because these chains maintain significant footprints there [12][1]. Francesca’s, Denny’s and other mall‑oriented apparel and dining names are also listed in regional reporting as planning further 2026 closures [13][1].
6. What’s documented versus what remains unclear
Reporting provides clear national closure totals in some cases (Macy’s 150, Big Lots 300, Party City full U.S. exit, Torrid up to 180), and some California‑specific counts (Party City ~75–80 CA stores, Big Lots 74 CA stores, Macy’s nine CA closures in 2025 plus additional CA closures in 2026, Raley’s two CA stores) [1][6][2][3][11]. However, many companies (Kroger, Foot Locker, Macy’s at times) have announced national targets without a granular, public breakdown by state, so pinning an exact statewide tally requires company lists or local filings that are not consistently published [9][1][7].
7. Underlying drivers and agendas in the coverage
Coverage mixes hard company disclosures with aggregated tracking by regional outlets; some articles emphasize broad industry trends (e‑commerce, AI, Gen‑Z shifts) and may inflate a local narrative of retail collapse, while corporate statements frame closures as “portfolio optimization” or cost‑cutting to boost digital investment — both agendas shape which numbers get highlighted and when [2][9][5]. Local outlets often list specific California locations when available, but when chains withhold state‑level breakdowns the reported impact in California is necessarily an estimate derived from national totals and known local closures [9][1].
8. Bottom line: known large‑scale California impacts and limits
The most clearly documented California impacts through 2025–2026 include Macy’s multi‑year 150‑store plan with confirmed California closures, Party City’s U.S. exit taking roughly 75–80 California stores, Big Lots’ 300‑store bankruptcy plan with about 74 California stores, Torrid’s up to 180 closures, Walgreens’ multi‑year 1,200‑store program with a dozen California shutdowns, and Raley’s two confirmed California closures — but a comprehensive statewide tally cannot be compiled from the available public reporting because several companies report only national counts or evolving lists [1][2][6][3][10][11].