BALTIMORE — Three major retail chains are planning to close hundreds of stores nationwide - and Marylanders are waiting to see if any local sites will be affected.
Macy's is closing 150 of its 500 stores; 50 "underproductive" locations will close by the end of this fiscal year.
And today, Dollar Tree announced it will close 30 stores, as well as 970 Family Dollar stores (which Dollar Tree owns), either by June or when the store's lease is up.
Macy's currently anchors eight malls in the Baltimore region.
There are dozens of Dollar Tree and Family Dollar locations in our area, according to the company's website.
Neither company has announced which stores will be closing.
A Macy's spokesperson confirmed March 9 that "we do not have a list to share at this time" of store closings.
Macy's did announcefive stores that are closing now; the closest is in Arlington, Va. That store will beturned into apartments.
Macy's has stores at Westfield Annapolis, Security Square Mall, Harford Mall, Towson Town Center, The Mall in Columbia, White Marsh Mall, Marley Station Mall, and Francis Scott Key Mall in Frederick.
Even if local stores don't close, they could see major changes.
Dollar Tree said it will expand its new initiative of variable pricing, meaning some items will cost as much $7.
Bob LaFleur, Dollar Tree senior vice president of investor relations, said: "Our shoppers will find $5 bags of dog food next to our traditional $1.25 pet treats and toys. And our $3 bags of candy will be found in the candy aisle. This is the next exciting chapter of the Dollar Tree value story. New items, more choices and more savings."
