Macy's Store Closures: A Mixed Bag for Shoppers and Retail Strategy

Macy’s is set to close several locations, which is disappointing news for its longtime patrons but potentially beneficial for bargain seekers, as some items will be marked down by up to 90%. The store at Sunrise Mall in Massapequa, Long Island, will permanently close on April 11 after 50 years of service. Additionally, Macy’s will shut down two more Long Island locations: one in the Lake Success Shopping Center in New Hyde Park and another at Melville Mall in Huntington Station.

The Massapequa Macy’s opened simultaneously with the Sunrise Mall in August 1973. According to filings with the Department of Labor, the closure will result in the loss of 77 jobs.

This closure follows the recent shutdown of Macy’s Center City location in Philadelphia. Massapequa is among the first of 66 stores Macy’s plans to close, part of an overall strategy to shutter 150 stores. The remaining stores are expected to close over the next four to 12 months, not before offering clearance sales with discounts reaching up to 90%. Initially, the discounts will be modest but will increase as the closing dates draw nearer.

Struggling with underperformance, Macy’s announced last February plans to close 150 stores by the end of 2026, effectively reducing its footprint by a third to 350 locations. Macy’s chairman and CEO, Tony Spring, stated, “We are closing underproductive Macy’s stores to allow us to focus our resources in our goforward stores.”

Alongside closing select stores, Macy’s plans to expand its presence with 15 new Bloomingdale’s stores and 30 new Bluemercury locations. Despite a decline in sales last year, the 50 stores that have undergone renovations have seen a sales uptick. Macy’s opted to keep the 66 closing stores open through the holiday season, allowing shoppers a last chance at Christmas shopping and making time for shutdown sales.