The Macy”™s store in The Galleria in White Plains is on a list of locations expected to be closed by the end of the first quarter of 2021.
According to the New York state Department of Labor, 137 workers will be losing their jobs.
The Macy”™s stores at the Cross County Center in Yonkers, Palisades Mall in West Nyack, Jefferson Valley Mall in Yorktown, Galleria at Crystal Run in Middletown and Poughkeepsie Galleria were not included on a list of store closings.
Macy’s provided the following statement to the Business Journal regarding the White Plains store:
“After careful consideration, Macy”™s has decided to close our White Plains Galleria location. This closure is part of the company”™s strategy announced in early 2020.
“Macy”™s previously shared this information with our valued colleagues. Regular, non-seasonal colleagues who we are unable to place at nearby Macy”™s store will be eligible for severance, including outplacement resources.
“A clearance sale will begin in January and run for approximately 8 to 12 weeks.
“The decision to close a store is always a difficult one, but Macy”™s White Plains Galleria is honored to have served our customers and the community over the past 40 years, and we look forward to continuing to do so at Macy”™s Cross County Shopping Center, Macy”™s Palisades Center, Macy”™s Stamford Town Center, online at macys.com or on the Macy”™s app.”
In February of last year, Macy”™s announced that it would be closing 125 of its least productive stores the coming three-year period. It was part of what the company described as an updated strategy and three-year plan designed to stabilize profitability and position the company for growth.
Macy”™s Inc. has three retailing brands: Macy”™s, Bloomingdale”™s and Bluemercury. It had been expanding into off-price retail offerings with Macy”™s Backstage and Bloomingdale”™s The Outlet. The White Plains store is one of the 57 locations where Macy”™s introduced the Backstage concept.
The Macy’s closing would come on the heels of the planned closing of the Sears store in The Galleria in White Plains. Last November, the Business Journal reported that Sears had filed a notice with the New York State Department of Labor saying the retail store and the Sears automotive center at The Galleria would be closing on or about Feb. 2, 2021. The closing would affect 59 employees.
At the time of the initial announcement of the Macy’s Inc. store closings and operational realignments, Jeff Gennette, chairman and chief executive officer of the company, said, “We will focus our resources on the healthy parts of our business, directly address the unhealthy parts of the business and explore new revenue streams. The changes we are making are deep and impact every area of the business, but they are necessary. I know we will come out of this transition stronger, more agile and better fit to compete in today”™s retail environment.”
In a report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Dec. 8, 2020, Macy”™s Inc. said its net sales for the third quarter of 2020 were $3.99 billion, down $1.18 billion from the third quarter of 2019. It reported a before-taxes loss for the third quarter of $217 million.
