Store closures in 2025: Joanne and J.C. Penney join Macy’s and Kohl’s
J.C. Penney and Joanne plan to close stores this year. They join Macy’s and Kohl’s, which have announced plans to close stores in recent months.
Macy’s plans to close multiple locations in Connecticut and lay off more than 1,000 employees in an effort to streamline company operations, according to an online notice filed with the state Department of Labor and a statement from the retailer.
Macy’s confirmed to USA TODAY on January 21 that the New York City-based company will close its facilities in South Windsor and Cheshire “as part of our ongoing efforts to modernize our supply chain to better serve our customers while simplifying the way we operate.”
The closures are expected to begin in March and most of the employees being laid off will be at the Cheshire site, including 485 fulfillment employees, 193 power equipment operators and 72 inventory management and quality assurance employees.
Macy’s first informed employees about the closure on Jan. 12, according to a notice shared on the Connecticut Department of Labor’s website. The department store chain said it will provide laid-off employees with information about transfer opportunities to open positions at nearby Macy’s stores.
According to Macy’s website, the company has 424 stores, including 21 smaller stores and five Macy’s Backstage stores that sell discounted merchandise. Earlier this month, the company announced it would close 14 stores in 12 states.
Here’s what we know about the closure so far.
Macy’s layoffs will begin in two months
Macy’s said in a Jan. 12 notice to the Connecticut Department of Labor and South Windsor Mayor Audrey Delnicki that one of the upcoming closures will include the Macy’s South Windsor Distribution Center, about 13 miles northeast of Hartford.
According to the company, the decision to permanently close the store and lay off 57 people will be made official on March 14, 2026. Twenty of the laid-off employees are warehouse staff. Other affected employees include warehouse managers, scanning equipment operators, security professionals, and other positions.
A small number of employees will be retained until April 2027 as stores close
Macy’s announced on January 13 in a notice to the Connecticut Department of Labor and Cheshire Mayor Peter Talbot that it would close the Macy’s Cheshire Fulfillment Center. The center consists of two locations in Cheshire, approximately 29 miles northeast of New Haven.
Macy’s said in the notice that the move will permanently eliminate approximately 993 jobs. The closure of the Cheshire facility will be done in groups based on position.
- Night Operations and Talent Acquisition – March 14, 2026
- Two employees serving Bloomingdale’s Photography Studio – March 14, 2026 to March 26, 2026
- Weekend part-time work – April 4, 2026
- Day shift regular work – April 4, 2026
- Weekend full-time work – August 1, 2026
- Daytime full-time operation – August 29, 2026
- Maintenance and Asset Protection – August 29, 2026 (a small number of these workers will remain employed until April 16, 2027 to handle decommissioning or equipment removal processes).
Between its last October announcement and this month’s notice of job cuts, Macy’s announced plans to cut 1,156 jobs at its Connecticut facilities.
A complete list of roles that are or will be retired for each location is available here:
“We are grateful to be a part of these communities and appreciate the important role each of our facilities and their colleagues have played in supporting our customers over the years,” Macy’s said in a statement to USA TODAY on Jan. 21.
Saleen Martin is a reporter for USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia (757). Email sdmartin@usatoday.com.
