It's estimated that roughly 7000 stores were shuttered in 2017, and that number is expected to grow to more than 12,000 closures this year.
Despite those closures, retailers opened 1326 more stores during 2017 than were shuttered. Analysts expect that 3446 more stores will open than will close during 2018.
Of the closures last year, about half were spread across many different retailers. The remaining half (3658 of 6985 closures) were the result of six retailers closing various locations. “That’s an indication that despite scary headlines, only a small fraction of merchants are responsible for most closures,” reports Retail Touchpoints.
Looking ahead to this year, analysts have suggested a list of 25 retailers that may be on the brink of filing for bankruptcy during 2018, with potential prospects including Sears (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) and Bon-Ton Stores (York, Pa.).