Read more: 2017 retail closings — What you need to know
Which retailers are next to fall?
F&D’s research has identified 34 retailers suffering from poor sales and too much overhead that it says will likely announces more store closures en masse or bankruptcy filings before the year is out.
- Shopko
- National Stores
- Forever 21
- Charming Charlie
- Fresh Market
- Bloomin' Brands
- Ascena
- Tailored Brands
- Rent-A-Center
- Bravo Brio
- Trans World
- Fred's
- Rite-Aid
- Conn's
- Tuesday Morning
- Guitar Center
- GNC
- Neiman Marcus
- Toys R Us
- Sears Hometown
- J. Crew
- Noodles and Co.
- Lumber Liquidators
- Charlotte Russe
- Bon-Ton Stores
- Tops Markets
- Claire's
- Ruby Tuesday
- Sears Holdings
- 99 Cents Only
- Ignite
- Perfumania
- Le Chateau
- Gymboree
It’s not just Amazon killing the brick-and-mortar stores!
We should note that some of the stores listed here — Sears, Bloomin' Brands and Ruby Tuesday, in particular — have announced anywhere from dozens to more than 150 store closures this year already.
Meanwhile, it's been widely reported that others like Gymboree and J. Crew are facing imminent bankruptcy.
Yet in the midst of all the media coverage, one important point is sometimes overlooked: It’s not just Amazon killing off the brick-and-mortars. It’s also that we’re way “over-stored” in the United States, as money expert Clark Howard would say.
"We have far too many retail locations, shopping centers and branches of different chains," the consumer champ notes. "But stores that are meeting your needs with low prices will continue to thrive."
The sad truth for ailing retailers is that we have 24 square feet of retail space for every person in the United States, according to F&D.
By comparison, Canada — the next country on the list with the most retail space — has 16 sq. ft. of retail space per capita.
Australia — the third most heavily retailed country in the world — has only 11 sq. ft. That’s less than half the square footage of retail space per capita that we have!
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