Closing Updates: Stores and Restaurants

The latest closing reports:

200 More Big Lots (Columbus, Ohio) to go dark: The company handling the closeout retailer’s store-closing sales has added about 200 sites across several states to the roster of available locales. Those join 460 stores being liquidated as of a month ago, as part of the retailer’s bankruptcy process. In addition, about 200 Big Lots will continue operating under that brand by Variety Wholesalers (Henderson, N.C.), which runs several other chains, including Roses Discount stores.

Denny’s (Spartanburg, S.C.) shuttering up to 90 locales this year: The restauranteur disclosed those plans in its full-year-financial results for 2024, for which it posted drops in operating revenue and same-restaurant sales. In addition to closing those struggling locales, Denny’s said it will open between 25-40 new ones. As of Dec. 2024, the company had 1568 restaurants, most of which are franchised or licensed.

JCPenney (Plano, Texas) closing 8 more stores in eight more states ’25: That’s according to a variety of news sources, including USA Today, which said the struggling department-store chain will close the following sites in the coming year:

• The Shops at Tanforan in San Bruno, Calif.
• The Shops at Northfield in Denver, Colo.
• Pine Ridge Mall in Pocatello, Idaho
• West Ridge Mall in Topeka, Kan.
• Westfield Annapolis Mall in Annapolis, Md.
• Fox Run Mall in Newington, N.H.
• Asheville Mall in Asheville, N.C.
• Charleston Town Center in Charleston, W. Va.

According to its website, the retailer currently has 656 stores in the U.S. Earlier this year, JCPenney merged with the SPARC Group to form Catalyst Brands, whose brands include Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand and Nautica.