All articles tagged with #store closures
Wendy's plans to close 300–360 U.S. stores in 2026 (about 5–6% of its outlets) to boost profitability at remaining locations; interim CEO Ken Cook says closures will improve sales and profits, a move that sent shares higher. The company reported U.S. sales fell more than 11% in Q4 2025 as rising costs and higher prices squeezed consumers, especially those in lower-income brackets, prompting Wendy's to lean more on value offerings.
Yum! Brands will shutter 250 underperforming Pizza Hut locations in the U.S. during the first half of 2026 as part of a broader strategic review that could include selling the brand. The closures affect U.S. units and come amid weaker domestic performance, though international results have been stronger. Pizza Hut ended 2025 with about 19,974 global stores (a net decline of 251), with planned international expansion in 2026, while peers like Taco Bell and Domino’s posted gains.
Yum! Brands plans to close roughly 250 underperforming Pizza Hut locations in the first half of 2026—about 3% of U.S. outlets—citing weak same-store sales and a broader downturn in the pizza market, as the parent company weighs strategic options for the brand amid competition and value-focused promotions at rivals like Taco Bell.
Yum! Brands says 250 underperforming Pizza Hut locations will close in the first half of 2026 as part of the Hut Forward overhaul to modernize the brand; the move follows a 4Q2025 decline in Pizza Hut US sales, while other Yum! Brands concepts like Taco Bell posted gains; no specific Brown County closures have been released, though the area has five Pizza Hut locations; other chains such as Noodles & Company, Red Robin and Wendy’s are also downsizing to focus on top-performing stores.
Pizza Hut plans to close roughly 250 U.S. locations in the first half of the year as part of Yum Brands’ broad strategic review, affecting about 3% of its U.S. restaurants. The move follows a 3% decline in U.S. same-store sales amid competition from Domino’s, with a potential sale among the options being considered; exact closures aren’t disclosed yet. Cincinnati area has about 2–3 dozen Pizza Hut outlets.
Pizza Hut plans to close roughly 250 U.S. stores in the first half of 2026 as Yum Brands reviews the brand’s positioning, potentially pursuing a sale; the closures come as U.S. same-store sales fell in Q4 and for the year, highlighting ongoing challenges in the chain’s turnaround.
Pizza Hut will close about 250 underperforming U.S. locations in the first half of this year as Yum! Brands reviews strategic options for the brand, including a possible sale; the closures come as Pizza Hut reports a 3% drop in same-store sales, while Taco Bell grows and KFC stabilizes amid a tough pizza market.
Coresight Research forecasts about 5,500 US store openings and 7,900 closures for 2026, a 4.5% drop in closures from 2025 and the lowest in three years. Dollar General, Aldi, and Tractor Supply lead openings (Aldi expects 180+ new stores), while GameStop, Francesca’s and Walgreens sit atop the closures list; Amazon plans to convert Fresh/Go locations to Whole Foods. The trend highlights a shift toward value retailers and tighter real estate supply, amid some bankruptcies like Saks Global and LKM Convenience.
Saks Global has filed for Chapter 11 and will shutter most of its discount stores (Saks Off Fifth and Last Call), leaving a minority of Off Fifth locations open as it refocuses on core luxury brands. Liquidation sales begin Jan 31; the Saks Off 5th website will close, while 41 Saks and 36 Neiman Marcus/ Bergdorf Goodman stores and their e-commerce will continue. Gift cards can be used through Feb 14, returns/exchanges for purchases before Jan 31, and store-credit redemptions until March 1. The moves aim to cut debt and reset leases after a debt-fueled acquisition.
Amazon is shutting roughly 60 Amazon Fresh grocery stores in the U.S. after employees and executives said the chain failed to offer a clearly distinctive value proposition, with weak foot traffic, a diffuse product mix, and tepid adoption of its cashierless Just Walk Out tech. The closures come as Amazon doubles down on Whole Foods and grocery delivery under its One Grocery strategy, underscoring a broader challenge to replicate scale in physical retail.
Under Chapter 11 restructuring, Saks Global will shutter 57 Saks OFF 5TH stores and the Last Call outlets, keep 12 Saks OFF 5TH locations open, and wind down Saksoff5th.com; 23 stores will close on Feb. 2, with 34 more set to close in the coming weeks.
Amazon will sunset its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go physical stores and convert several locations into Whole Foods Market outlets, part of a broader shift to prioritizing larger-format stores while keeping Fresh online grocery. The company plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods locations in coming years and expand Whole Foods Daily Shops, continuing Fresh online delivery. The move follows years of experimentation and prior closures, including UK Fresh stores and Southern California locations, and reflects Amazon's ongoing effort since acquiring Whole Foods in 2017 to gain a bigger share of the grocery market; the cashierless Go tech has been dialed back and repurposed.
Walmart is closing some stores early in Pennsylvania as a snowstorm disrupts the region, with Johnstown and Somerset locations closing at 4 p.m. and the Ebensburg store closing at 3 p.m.; editors will update if additional closures are announced.
Kroger will close all Cincinnati-area stores at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25 due to a winter storm, with normal hours resuming Monday; the forecast calls for another 2–3 inches of snow and heavier snow this evening across Cincinnati and surrounding counties.
Kroger will close all Columbus Division stores at 6 p.m. Sunday due to the winter storm, with normal reopening on Monday; Giant Eagle is also closing early. Central Ohio counties are under Level 2 or 3 snow emergencies as several inches to a foot of snow falls, with brutal cold expected afterward.