In Taffy's thread about sweater dresses, we got a little OT about retail stores and how they are trying to find their way thru this economy. I found the email that listed a bunch of store closings (not necessarily stores that are GOB--but just closing individual stores based on performance, as well as a few GOBs) It's a long email, but thought I'd share it just in case anyone was interested.

Be aware/gift cards for holidays/ Store closings
>
> > May I make the recommendation that we be careful of buying store brand
> > gift cards for holidays. Things are closing rapidly. Not on the list
> > below is Linens & Things , under liquidation and closing all stores by
> > year end.
> >
>
> > Libby Lu is also closing all their stores within 6 months
>
> > Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide A company spokeswoman said The
> > company hasn't revealed which stores will be shuttered.. It will let the
> >
> > Stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month.
> >
> > Eddie Bauer to close more stores. Eddie Bauer has already Closed 27
> > shops in the first quarter and plans to close up To two more outlet
> > stores by the end of the year.
> >
> > Cache closing stores. Women's retailer Cache announced that it is
> > closing 20 to 23 stores This year.
> >
> > Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines closing 150 stores nationwide The
> > owner Of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug , Catherines Plus Sizes
> > will close About 150 underperforming stores this year.The company hasn't
> > Provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will
> > offer That info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today.
> >
> > Talbots, J. Jill closing stores. About a month ago, Talbots announced
> > that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the
> > company says it will close Another 22 underperforming stores.. The 22
> > stores will be a mix of Talbots women's and J. Jill , another chain it
> > owns. The closures will occur this Fiscal year,according to a company
> > press release.
> >
> > Gap Inc. Closing 85 stores. In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also
> > owns Old Navy and BananaRepublic .The company said the closures - all
> > planned For fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand.
> >
> > Foot Locker to close 140 stores. In the company press release and
> > during its Conference call with analysts today, it did not specify where
> > the future store Closures - all planned in fiscal 2008 - will be.. The
> > company could not be Immediately reached for comment.
> >
> > Wickes is going out of business. Wickes Furniture is going Out of
> > business and closing all of its stores. Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer
> > that targets middle-income customers, filed forbankruptcy Protection
> > last month.
> >
> > Goodbye Levitz / BOMBAY - closed already. The furniture retailer, which
> > is going out Of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of
> > business and closing all 76 of Its stores in December. The retailer
> > dates back to 1910 whe n Richard Levitz opened his First furniture store
> > in Lebanon , PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought
> > Levitz to The forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz
> > closures will follow the shutdown of Bombay .
> >
> > Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores. The owner of Zales and Piercing
> > Pagoda previously Said it plans to close 82 stores by July 31. Today, it
> > announced that it is closing Another 23 underperforming stores. The
> > company said it's not providing a list of specific Store closures. Of
> > the 105 locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are Stores.
> >
> > Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores The Walt Disney
> > Company Announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries
> > of TheChildren's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores
> > acquired Will depend on negotiations with landl o rds. Those
> > subsidiaries of Children'sPlace filed for bankruptcy protection in late
> > March.. Walt Disney In the newsrelease said it has also obtained the
> > right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. . The press release
> > didn't list those stores.
> >
> > Home Depot store closings ( E. Brunswick , Rt 18 just put up their closing
> > sign) ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there
> > were no plans To cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home
> > Depot Inc.announced Thursday that it is shuttering 15 of them amid a
> > slumping U.S.economy and Housing market.The move will affect 1,300
> > employees.. It is the first time The world's largest home improvement
> > store chain has ever closed a flagship Store for performance reasons..
> > Its shares rose almost 5 percent. The Atlanta-based company said the
> > underperforming U.S.stores Being closed represent less than 1 percent
> > of its existing stor es . They Will be shuttered within the next two
> > months.
> >
> > CompUSA (CLOSED) clarifies details on store Closings Any extended
> > warranties purchased for products Through CompUSA will be honored by a
> > third-partyprovider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rain checks, and
> > rebates purchasedprior to December 12 can be Redeemed at any time during
> > the final sale.. For those who have a gadget Currently in for service
> > with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be
> > returned to owners.
> >
> > Macy's - 9 stores
> >
> > Movie Gallery - 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to
> > exitbankruptcy. The video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500
> > Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520
> > locations the video rental chain closed last fall.
> >
> > Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse
> > appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the
> > thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees
> > and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in
> > the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7%of its work
> > force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% ofcompany-owned
> > brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it
> > will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are
> > down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.
> >
> > J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back
> >
> > Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close 12 of
> > 300+stores in an effort to cut costs.
> >
> > Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores
> >
> > Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of
> > strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four
> > underperforming Demo stores closed last May.
> >
> > Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and
> > announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still
> > operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have
> > performed poorly and also may close.
> >
> > KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the United
> > States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list ofstore
> > closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press
> > Information
> >
> > Dillard's to Close More StoresDillard's Inc. said it will continue to
> > focus on closing underperformingstores, reducing expenses and improving
> > its merchandise in 2008. At thecompany's annual shareholder meeting, CEO
> > William Dillard II said thecompany will close another six
> > underperforming stores this year.
>
>