The Bold New Chapter: 5 Shocking Reasons Why Macy's Is Closing 66 Stores In 2025 (Full List Of Locations)

The iconic red star of Macy's is undergoing a massive, strategic contraction. As of late 2024 and early 2025, the department store giant has confirmed a major wave of store closures, marking a critical turning point in its 166-year history. This move is not merely a cost-cutting measure but the cornerstone of a new, aggressive corporate strategy designed to reposition the company for future profitability in a rapidly changing retail landscape.

This dramatic restructuring, dubbed "A Bold New Chapter" by leadership, involves shuttering 150 underperforming Macy's locations by 2026, with the first and largest wave of 66 stores scheduled to close throughout 2025. The decision affects dozens of states and signals a definitive shift away from the traditional, large-format department store model that once anchored America’s shopping malls. The closures are intended to free up capital and resources to heavily invest in the company's top-performing stores and its high-growth luxury brands, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury.

The Architect of Change: CEO Tony Spring and "A Bold New Chapter" Strategy

The latest and most significant wave of closures is a direct result of the long-term strategic vision introduced by Macy's, Inc. CEO and Chairman-Elect, Tony Spring. Spring, who officially took the helm in early 2024, previously led the successful turnaround of Bloomingdale’s, Macy's luxury subsidiary. His "A Bold New Chapter" strategy is a decisive push to challenge the status quo, aiming to restore the company to sustainable, profitable sales growth.

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Biography Profile: Tony Spring

• Full Name: Tony Spring
• Current Role: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman-Elect, Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M)
• Appointment Date (CEO): February 2024
• Previous Role: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bloomingdale's (Macy's luxury brand)
• Tenure at Bloomingdale's: Over 30 years in various leadership roles, including President and COO.
• Key Initiative: Architect of "A Bold New Chapter" strategy.
• Vision: To create a more modern Macy's by focusing on fewer, higher-performing stores, enhancing the customer experience, and revitalizing product assortment.

The "Bold New Chapter" plan is a three-pronged approach focused on strengthening the core Macy's brand, accelerating growth in luxury, and simplifying the organization. The closure of 150 stores is specifically targeting those locations that are "underproductive," often residing in lower-tier, struggling shopping malls.

The 5 Core Reasons Behind the Massive 2025 Closures

The decision to close 66 stores in 2025 is not arbitrary; it is a calculated response to several powerful economic and consumer trends that have reshaped the retail industry over the last decade. These factors represent the strategic thinking behind the "A Bold New Chapter" plan:

1. The Shift to a "Go-Forward" Fleet

Macy's is aggressively consolidating its physical footprint to focus on its best assets. The company has identified approximately 350 "go-forward" locations, which are the stores that will receive the bulk of future investment in inventory, staffing, and store experience. The 66 closures in 2025 are the first step in eliminating the lowest-performing stores that drain resources and capital. This strategy is a refinement of the earlier "Polaris" strategy, which also aimed to close underperforming locations.

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2. The Rise of the "First 50" Strategy

A key component of the new plan is a heavy investment in the "First 50" pilot stores—a group of high-potential locations that have been reimagined with elevated in-store experiences, improved product selections, and better staffing. Investments in these pilot stores have already shown promising results, boosting sales for three consecutive quarters. The closures allow Macy's to reallocate funds to expand this successful model to more of the remaining 350 stores.

3. Accelerating the Luxury and Small-Format Footprint

Macy's Inc. is shifting its growth engine to its luxury and beauty segments, which have consistently outperformed the core department store. The capital freed up from the closures will fund a significant expansion of both Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury. Plans include adding up to 15 new Bloomingdale's stores and 30 new Bluemercury stores by 2026, alongside renovating 30 existing Bluemercury locations. This focus capitalizes on the higher profit margins and stronger consumer demand in the luxury and specialty beauty markets.

4. The Decline of the Traditional Mall Anchor

Many of the closing stores are located in struggling, "lower-tier" regional malls, whose decline has been accelerated by the "retail apocalypse." As foot traffic dwindles in these properties, the massive, multi-story Macy's stores become unsustainable commercial real estate liabilities. By shedding these anchors, Macy's reduces its exposure to failing malls and focuses on stronger, more productive shopping centers and power centers.

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5. Digital and Supply Chain Modernization

The "Bold New Chapter" also involves significant investment in digital commerce, supply chain efficiency, and technology upgrades. The closures provide the financial flexibility to modernize the entire operational infrastructure, ensuring a more seamless omnichannel experience for customers—integrating in-store shopping with online ordering, fulfillment, and returns. This is crucial for competing with e-commerce giants and modern retailers.

Macy's Store Closures 2025: The First Wave List (66 Locations)

The first wave of closures under the "A Bold New Chapter" plan consists of 66 underperforming Macy's stores across 22 states. These locations are expected to hold massive clearance and liquidation sales, with many closing their doors permanently by early to mid-2025. The complete list is extensive, but the following are some of the most notable locations confirmed for closure, reflecting the company's move away from lower-tier mall properties:

Confirmed Closing Macy's Locations (Select List)

• Arizona: Superstition Springs Center (Mesa)
• California: Broadway Plaza (Walnut Creek), Hillsdale Furniture (San Mateo), Sunrise Mall (Citrus Heights), Westminster Mall (Westminster), NewPark Mall (Newark)
• Florida: Boynton Beach Mall (Boynton Beach), Ft Lauderdale Furniture (Fort Lauderdale), Pembroke Furniture (Pembroke Pines), South Dade (Miami)
• Colorado: Citadel Mall (Colorado Springs)
• Indiana: Castleton Square Mall (Indianapolis)
• Maryland: Owings Mills Mall (Owings Mills)
• New Jersey: Moorestown Mall (Moorestown)
• New York: Galleria at Crystal Run (Middletown)
• Ohio: Northgate Mall (Cincinnati)
• Texas: Willowbrook Mall (Houston)
• Virginia: Manassas Mall (Manassas)

The full list of 66 closures includes a mix of full-line department stores and smaller furniture/home goods outlets, all of which were identified as "non-go-forward" stores that did not meet the company’s new productivity benchmarks.

The Future of Macy's: Shrinking to Grow

While the closures signal a contraction of the physical Macy's brand, the overall company is preparing for strategic expansion in high-growth areas. The remaining approximately 350 Macy's stores will become the new foundation of the business, receiving substantial investment to improve their in-store experience, product exclusivity, and customer service.

Expansion of Luxury Brands

The most aggressive growth will be seen in the luxury portfolio:

• Bloomingdale’s: The luxury department store is set to expand its physical footprint, including new full-line stores, small-format locations, and outlet stores, deepening its luxury market penetration.
• Bluemercury: The high-end beauty retailer, acquired by Macy's in 2015, is a major focus, with plans to add 30 new stores and renovate 30 existing doors, significantly boosting its market share in the specialty beauty segment.

New Retail Concepts

Macy's is also experimenting with new, smaller-format concepts like Market by Macy’s, which are designed to fit into strip centers and lifestyle centers rather than traditional enclosed malls. These smaller stores offer a curated assortment of merchandise and an enhanced customer experience, testing a model that is more flexible and resilient to the challenges facing large mall anchors.

In conclusion, the 66 Macy's store closures in 2025 are a powerful, if painful, tactical maneuver. Led by CEO Tony Spring, "A Bold New Chapter" is not a retreat, but a strategic pivot: shedding underperforming assets to fuel explosive growth in luxury, invest heavily in the best core stores, and modernize the entire retail operation. For consumers, this means fewer, but significantly better, Macy's stores, and a much larger presence for high-end brands like Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury in the years to come.