American Eagle Outfitters, the popular clothing and denim brand, is shutting down its brick-and-mortar locations starting from Sunday.
According to reports, the American Eagle location at East Hills Shopping Center in St. Joseph, Missouri, will be the first store to close on Jan. 15. The closures are not a surprise, as the company had announced plans to close between 200 and 250 American Eagle stores two years ago, in order to reduce its store footprint by roughly a quarter and expand its Aerie brand.
Store Closures:
The first store to close is located at the East Hills Shopping Center in St. Joseph, Missouri. American Eagle announced the news via email last weekend, and Steven Craig, the owner of Craig Realty, which operates the shopping center, confirmed the news.
He stated that the company is looking at different uses for the mall and that the consumer is a lot different today than it was 52 years ago when the mall was built. He added that vacant stores, including the American Eagle location, could become office spaces or be used for entertainment or athletic purposes.
Another store located in Illinois at the Hickory Point Mall in Forsyth, will also be closing on Sunday, the Herald & Review reported. A sign on the store states that "This AE store is closing soon." But Michah Conaway, acting store leader, confirmed that the current staff were not given any further information.
A third American Eagle store located in the Chautauqua Mall in Lakewood, New York, is also closing down. Plans to shutter the store were confirmed by signs in the store, but no definitive closure date was noted. It is unclear if the recent sale of the mall by Kohan Retail Investment Group is connected to the store closure.
Expanding Aerie Brand:
During a Nov. 2022 call with investors, Jen Foyle, president and executive creative director for American Eagle and Aerie, confirmed that the company is "selectively closing unproductive" American Eagle stores and the plans to expand the Aerie brand via 50 new stores are ongoing.
Conclusion:
American Eagle Outfitters is shutting down its brick-and-mortar locations as part of its plans to close between 200 and 250 American Eagle stores, in order to reduce its store footprint by roughly a quarter and expand its Aerie brand.
The closures are not a surprise, as the company had announced plans to close these stores two years ago. The stores that are closing are located in Missouri, Illinois, and New York.
What Are Your Thoughts?
Have you ever shopped at American Eagle Outfitters? How do you think the store closures will affect American Eagle Outfitters in the long term? What do you think about the company's decision to expand Aerie brand?
Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
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