Stores Closing in 2023: Boston Market is Officially on Shutdown Watch (2024)

We got kind of a break from the retail apocalypse in 2022, but now we’re seeing lots more stores closing in 2023, fueled by lots of economic uncertainty.

Lots of store chains — particularly the mall-based ones — are struggling right now, and some are calling it quits. We’ve listed every major chain that’s closing 10 or more stores in 2023, and will keep this updated as news breaks. Not all of these stores are having liquidation sales — some more product around to other stores — but when there are savings to be had, we’ll let you know in this list.

Speaking of which, it’s probably a good time to brush up on how liquidation sales work, so you can be ready for all the closeout savings that are headed your way.

First: Jane.com has shut down operations.

Jane.com abruptly shut down on Nov. 17, 2023. It was an online marketplace for women’s fashion, home decor, and children’s clothing. This closure left sellers, mainly from women-owned small businesses, and shoppers in a bind.

The site now displays a “down for maintenance” message, with communication on social media restricted. Shoppers not receiving orders should contact Jane.com, then possibly dispute charges with their credit card company. The shutdown unexpectedly left employees jobless and without benefits, while sellers are reporting significant unpaid dues, including one vendor who says she was owed $35,000.

1. Zulily is shutting down operations entirely.

Stores Closing in 2023: Boston Market is Officially on Shutdown Watch (1)

This one was a surprise. Zulily, the online retailer known for their daily deals on women’s and kids’ clothing, announced on Dec. 8 that they’re shutting down after 13 years. There’s no official date for Zulily going out of business, but it’s soon, because they’re having a final “sale” (in quotes because the prices aren’t any different than they were before). This sudden closure follows the recent layoffs of about 800 staff members and the shutting down of their Seattle headquarters and other locations. They had a tough time competing with other online retailers — most notably with shipping costs.

2. Rite Aid will be closing 400-500 stores soon as part of bankruptcy filing.

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Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Oct. 15, 2023, and as part of their financial restructuring, they’ll be closing 400-500 of their 2,200 stores — which is 18-23% of their total stores — likely within the coming months. There’s an unofficial Reddit thread where people are posting about which stores are closing.

The third-largest pharmacy chain has experienced declining sales, a tanking stock price, as well as mounting debt. They’re currently $3 billion in debt, and are in the midst of opioid-related lawsuits.

Stores have already started closing. Although there won’t be any true liquidation sales, customers have said that their closing stores have a lot of product discounted 50-75% off.

3. Tuesday Morning has closed all 487 stores.

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Tuesday Morning filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year and closed 265 stores, hoping to emerge more financially stable, but that didn’t pan out. Now the remaining 222 stores are shutting down and holding Tuesday Morning liquidation sales — with a target of closing by early summer.

4. Foot Locker is closing up to 420 stores.

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Foot Locker’s plan to close up to 420 of their 1,300 North American mall-based stores by 2026 represents a closure of approximately 32.3%. Instead, they’re looking to open around 300 smaller, freestanding stores geared toward kids, “sneakerheads”, and higher-priced items.

Since you’re not likely gonna see liquidation sales with this plan, you’ll want to find your own Nike deals and Adidas deals.

5. Burger King is closing up to 400 locations.

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Burger King is planning to close 300 to 400 restaurants in the US by the end of 2023, which is 5% to 7% of the total locations in the country. Add to that the 124 closures that have already happened this year, and the total number of Burger King locations in the US will drop below 7,000. The CEO maintains that it’s pretty typical for the company to close “a couple hundred” Burger King locations each year.

Get a free Burger King Whopper when you place your first $3+ online order.

6. Bed Bath & Beyond has closed all 360 of their stores.

After struggling for years, and is winding down operations. They’ve closed all of the 360-or-stores left, and liquidating, as Overstock.com prepares to change their name to… wait for it… Bed Bath & Beyond.

7. CVS is closing 300 stores — every year through 2024.

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CVS is planning to close 300 stores each year from 2022 to 2024. Even though it sounds like a lot, it’s about 9% of their 10,000 stores in the U.S. The stores that are more likely to close are in areas where there are already lots of CVS stores. Don’t expect any big closing sales, though.

The company is also looking at changing some stores into different things like health clinics or CVS HealthHUBs, which offer more than just pharmacy services. They’re doing all this to fit changing customer habits, which include more online shopping and curbside pickup.

8. Walgreens is closing 150 stores.

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After they missed some profit goals this year, Walgreens announced plans to shut down 150 stores by August 2024. That’s nearly 1.7% of their nearly 9,000 U.S. stores. They haven’t yet announced which stores will be closing, but regardless — don’t expect liquidation sales. The drugstore chain will likely move products around to the 98.3% of stores left.

You can create your own liquidation sales with our list of Walgreens deals under $1.

9. Champs Sports is closing 125 stores.

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As part of parent company Foot Locker’s business reorganization, 125 underperforming Champs Sports locations will close before the end of 2023 — representing 1/4 of their total locations.

RELATED: Browse all of KCL’s many shoe deals to get clearance-level discounts.

10. buybuy Baby has closed all 122 of their stores.

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As part of Bed Bath & Beyond’s bankruptcy filing, all 122 BuyBuy Baby stores in 37 states will close. BuyBuy Baby liquidation sales will reportedly run through June 30, 2023 — although some stores are reportedly staying open longer, as they receive items from other stores.

But… they could make a comeback, as there’s going to be a bidding war for BuyBuy Baby’s assets. One bidder in particular says they would want to keep physical stores open.

11. Journeys is closing 100+ stores.

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Footwear, apparel, and accessories retailer Journeys will close over 100 stores next year, exceeding their previous closure plans, due to a decline in sales and changing consumer demand. The increased store closures aim to save the company up to $40 million and allow Journeys to adapt.

12. Christmas Tree Shops has closed all 82 stores.

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Christmas Tree Shops filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 5, but their financial plan hasn’t worked out. Now they’re liquidating all 82 stores and shutting the formerly-owned-by-Bed-Bath-and-Beyond brand down for good. Liquidation sales start at 10-30%, with the biggest discounts on fall/Halloween seasonal merch.

It’s pretty much a done deal. A Christmas Tree Shops exec said on June 30, 2023, that the store chain is up for sale, and if they’re unable to find a buyer by July 5, they’ll liquidate all stores.

13. Bath & Body Works is closing 50 mall stores.

Bath & Body Works plans to close approximately 50 mall stores in 2023, buuuut… they’re also working on around 115 real estate projects during the same time period. The projects include opening approximately 90 new stores not located in malls and redesigning 25 White Barn Candle Company stores.

The closures are happening in the following states: Alabama (1 location), Arizona (2), California (6), Florida (1), Georgia (2), Idaho (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (2), Missouri (1), Mississippi (1), New Jersey (1), New York (7), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (2), Texas (2), Virginia (1), and Washington (4).

RELATED: .

14. Harmon has closed all 50 of their stores.

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Another casualty of the Bed Bath & Beyond bankruptcy is their health and beauty subsidiary, Harmon. All of their remaining 50 stores closed at the end of June 2023 as part of the company’s wind-down.

RELATED: Browse our beauty deals for liquidation-level savings.

15. David’s Bridal is closing 49 stores by fall.

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David’s Bridal filed for bankruptcy this year, and just got a new owner. They’re laying off thousands of people and closing 49 stores this summer. No liquidation sales have been announced yet — and there may not be any — but it looks like the company isn’t going to die just yet.

16. Shoe City has closed all 39 of their stores.

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Shoe City, a Baltimore-based retailer of footwear, apparel, and accessories, filed for bankruptcy on March 31, 2023, and closed all 39 of its stores, including ycmc.com, as of May 31, 2023.

17. Party City is closing 31 stores.

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Party City, the popular party supplies retailer, has been hit hard by the pandemic and supply-chain challenges. They’ve filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and will close 31 total stores in 2023, which is about 3.8% of their total 823 locations.

RELATED: 15 Dollar Tree Party Supply Ideas from New Year’s to Christmas

18. Best Buy is closing up to 30 stores.

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Best Buy plans to close 20 to 30 of their stores in 2023 — which is a little higher than their normal pace of 15-20 closures per year — and they’re gonna open eight smaller concept stores and 10 outlet locations. They haven’t announced where and when these openings or closures will occur. Don’t expect liquidation sales; Best Buy would likely transfer product to other stores or to be sold via BestBuy.com.

19. Boston Market has closed 50 locations.

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Boston Market is dealing with significant financial problems, leading to recent closures of 50 more stores this year, along with legal troubles. In August 2023, New Jersey’s Labor Department ordered 27 locations to close temporarily after an investigation found that the chain owed more than $600,000 in back wages to 314 employees.

But that’s just the beginning. The Daily Mail has reported that company-wide, Boston Market owes a lot of money — over $329,000 in unpaid sales and payroll taxes. This has led to some big problems, like their main office being taken over and stores being kicked out of their locations because they couldn’t pay the rent.

Plus, the owner of Boston Market, Jignesh Pandya, has himself filed for personal bankruptcy protection.

Those developments are just part of Boston Market’s financial problems, bringing the total number of closures this year to about 50. Between 2017 and 2022, the Golden, Colorado-based chain closed 161 stores, according to Market research firm Technomic reported that the chain has closed 161 stores between 2017 and 2022. That company says that there are now only about 250 locations left.

20. Walmart is closing 22 stores.

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It’s been reported that Walmart will close 22 stores across 12 states and Washington, D.C. in 2023. Walmart is set to close a mix of Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Pickup-only stores. Of course, Walmart isn’t in trouble or anything, so they aren’t doing any liquidation sales. (But they’re always doing Walmart Clearance!)

The affected stores are located in Arkansas (1), Georgia (2), Florida (1), Hawaii (1), Illinois (7), Indiana (1), Minnesota (1), New Mexico (1), Oregon (2), Texas (1), Washington (1), and Washington, D.C. (1). The decision to close four locations in Chicago in April was based on financial losses, while the Portland (OR) stores were not meeting financial expectations and reportedly experienced record theft.

RELATED: No need to go to the store when Walmart grocery delivery exists. Here’s how to still save.

21. Nordstrom is closing 15 stores.

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Nordstrom says they’re getting out of downtown San Francisco due to crime, and they’re closing their flagship store and their Nordstrom Rack location there. They’re also closing all 13 of their Canadian locations.

RELATED: Nordstrom vs. Nordstrom Rack: 19 Hacks to Shop Designer on a Budget

22. Moosejaw is closing 11 out of their 14 stores.

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Dick’s Sporting Goods has announced they’re closing 11 out of 14 Moosejaw stores by February 2024. This decision comes just half a year after Dick’s bought Moosejaw from Walmart. The plan is to focus more on their Public Lands stores, which are part of their outdoor business.

Although they’re shutting down these physical stores, you’ll still be able to buy outdoor gear on Moosejaw’s website. The stores closing include the Moosejaw headquarters in Madison Heights, Michigan, and several others across different states. However, three stores in Salt Lake City, Birmingham (Ala.), and Bentonville (Ark.) will remain open. This shift is part of Dick’s strategy to streamline their business and make things more efficient, especially in the online shopping world. Despite closing most of the physical stores, Moosejaw will continue to play a big role in Dick’s digital outdoor gear sales.

23. Lidl is closing 11 supermarket locations in six states.

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According to Business Insider, a handful of Lidl locations recently shuttered in 2023 due to underperformance. The German supermarket — often compared to Aldi — closed two locations in New Jersey (Burlington and Howell), two locations in North Carolina (Cary and Thomasville), two locations in Maryland (Brooklyn Park and Oxon Hill), two locations in South Carolina (Florence and North Augusta), two locations in Virginia (Charlottesville and Richmond), and one location in Pennsylvania (King of Prussia).

24. HomeGoods has closed their online store.

Stores Closing in 2023: Boston Market is Officially on Shutdown Watch (24)

After just two years, HomeGoods has closed their online store. The company says the online store wasn’t making much money; sales represented less than 1% of their total for the year. But if you’re a fan of HomeGoods’ sister companies TJMaxx, Marshalls, or Sierra — don’t worry. Their online stores are staying open. It’s just HomeGoods that’s going offline. All 900 brick-and-mortar stores will remain open.

From the detailed information provided in the article about the closures and liquidation sales of major retail chains in 2023, it's evident that this year marked a significant trend in store closures across various industries. As an expert in retail and business trends, I'll break down the concepts involved:

  1. Retail Apocalypse: The term "retail apocalypse" refers to the widespread closure of brick-and-mortar retail stores due to various factors, including economic challenges, shifts in consumer behavior toward online shopping, overexpansion, and changing market dynamics.

  2. Chapter 11 Bankruptcy: Several companies mentioned, such as Rite Aid, Tuesday Morning, David’s Bridal, Christmas Tree Shops, and others, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Chapter 11 is a form of bankruptcy that allows companies to reorganize their debts while continuing to operate. However, not all companies successfully emerge from Chapter 11, leading to closures or liquidation.

  3. Store Closures and Liquidation Sales: Numerous major chains, including Jane.com, Zulily, Rite Aid, Tuesday Morning, Foot Locker, Burger King, Bed Bath & Beyond, CVS, Walgreens, Champs Sports, buybuy Baby, Journeys, Christmas Tree Shops, Bath & Body Works, Harmon, David’s Bridal, Shoe City, Party City, Best Buy, Boston Market, Walmart, Nordstrom, Moosejaw, Lidl, HomeGoods, and others, announced closures of multiple stores. These closures often lead to liquidation sales, where merchandise is discounted to clear inventory before the stores close permanently.

  4. Bankruptcy Impact: Bankruptcy filings affected both employees and customers. Employees faced sudden job losses and uncertainties regarding unpaid dues and benefits, while customers were left in limbo with pending orders and potential disputes regarding payments.

  5. Strategic Shifts: Some companies like Foot Locker, CVS, and others announced strategic shifts in their business models, such as closing mall-based stores and opening smaller, specialized outlets or focusing more on online sales and alternative services.

  6. Economic Factors: Factors like declining sales, stock price drops, debt accumulation, legal issues (e.g., opioid-related lawsuits), supply chain challenges, and changing consumer preferences significantly contributed to the closures.

This series of closures and liquidation sales signify the ongoing transformations and challenges faced by the retail industry, emphasizing the impact of economic fluctuations and shifting consumer behaviors on traditional retail models.

Stores Closing in 2023: Boston Market is Officially on Shutdown Watch (2024)

FAQs

Are Boston Markets going out of business? ›

Boston Market, the once-popular rotisserie chicken restaurant chain, has quietly closed its last Bay Area stores.

How many Boston Market locations are left? ›

How many Boston Market restaurants are there in the United States? As of April, 2024, there are 322 Boston Market restaurants in the United States. These restaurants are located in 23 states and territories and 244 cities. The state with the most Boston Market locations is Florida, with 41 restaurants.

What happened at Boston Market? ›

Boston Market's Colorado headquarters was seized. The biggest blow came in the form of a lawsuit from supplier U.S. Foods over unpaid bills in which a judge in January ordered Boston Market to pay $15 million. Restaurant analyst Aaron Allen said many of the brand's problems predated its change of ownership.

Who owns Boston Market? ›

Boston Market Corporation, known as Boston Chicken until 1995, is an American fast casual restaurant chain headquartered in Golden, Colorado. Since 2020, it has been owned by the Rohan Group. 1985 Newton, Massachusetts, U.S.

Did McDonald's buy Boston Market? ›

In 1998, Boston Market filed for bankruptcy and was then purchased by McDonald's in 2000, before the company was eventually sold to private equity firm Sun Capital Partners in 2007.

Why did Boston Market change its name? ›

In 1995 the name was changed to Boston Market, to reflect the fact that the stores now sold other meats as main courses, including turkey, ham, and meatloaf.

Why did the Boston Market close in Florida? ›

— Boston Market locations throughout South Florida are closed as the Colorado-based corporation faces a federal lawsuit, evictions and claims that employees haven't been paid.

What happened to the Boston Market in NJ? ›

New Jersey has closed dozens of Boston Market locations because of the restaurant owing hundreds of workers more than $600,000 dollars in back pay. Lynda Baquero reports. More than two dozen Boston Market locations in New Jersey are now closed after being shut down by the state.

What is Boston Market known for? ›

People flocked to its homey meals; its signature rotisserie chickens seemed fresh, even healthful, in that era of SnackWell's cookies and Healthy Choice frozen dinners. After being founded in 1985 as Boston Chicken, it eventually expanded to more than 1,200 locations well beyond its namesake city.

Who are the competitors of Boston Market? ›

Top 5 Boston Market competitors
  • Tokyo Joe's.
  • Del Taco.
  • Waffle House.
  • Yum! Brands.
  • KFC.

Who is the new CEO of Boston Market? ›

Eric Wyatt, new CEO of Boston Market Source: Boston Market Corp. GOLDEN, Colo. — Eric Wyatt has been promoted to CEO of Boston Market Corp. He succeeds Frances Allen, who is leaving the company for a new opportunity.

Where is Boston Market headquarters? ›

Who are the competitors of the Boston Market? ›

Boston Market's top competitors include Tokyo Joe's, Del Taco, and Waffle House. Tokyo Joe's is a regional fast casual modern Asian restaurant. It offers a mix of signature and made-to-order rice and noodle bowls as well as salads and fresh sushi ro…

What happened to Boston Market in Minnesota? ›

The chicken restaurant chain Boston Market will no longer have a presence in Minnesota. The chain, formerly known as Boston Chicken, has closed its final restaurant in the state as of Sunday, with the location at 5300 Excelsior Boulevard in St. Louis Park shutting its doors.

Is Boston Market chicken healthy? ›

Healthiness. Our rotisserie chicken is a healthy choice, as its lower in fat compared to fried chicken. It provides you with a good source of protein without compromising on flavor.

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