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The Retail Apocalypse Is Heating Up in 2019. Here Are the Major Stores Currently on Deathwatch

Sears  J.C. Penney  Victoria’s Secret  Payless

Gymboree  Gap  Ann Taylor

Retailer bankruptcies and store closures: They’ve supplied depressingly consistent storylines at America’s malls for the past few years. And, just two months into 2019, it sure looks like the U.S. retail scene will continued to be plagued by a stunning number of store closures — and perhaps quite a few retailers going out of business for good. 

In a single 24-hour period last week, Gap, J.C. Penney, and Victoria’s Secret announced they would be closing more than 300 stores combined. These announced store closures come soon after retail companies made the difficult decisions to shut down all Payless ShoeSource and Gymboree stores throughout the U.S., and in the middle of Sears’ dramatic struggle to survive. 

Below are seven big retailers closing stores left and right in 2019. Some are restructuring debt and refiguring business models to fight to stay alive in today’s fast-moving ultra-competitive retail world, where every store must offer a compelling alternative to Amazon in order to win over shoppers. Other retailers have already lost the battle, are hosting liquidation sales right now, and will soon disappear entirely — like Toys “R” Us and Bon-Ton before them.

 DYI