Close 45 sites as part of a three-year plan

The entrance to a Macy’s department store.

Jeffrey Greenberg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images

Macy’s has informed employees of about 45 department stores that they will close by mid-year, CNBC has learned.

The closings are part of a previously announced plan by Macy’s to close 125 locations by 2023, as the retailer outlined in February.

“As previously announced, Macy’s is committed to straightening out our retail fleet by concentrating our existing retail locations in desirable and high-traffic A and B malls,” a spokeswoman told CNBC in a statement.

“To that end, today we announced several store closings that are in line with the guidelines we issued in February 2020,” she said. “These closures bring us closer to reaching the right mix of shopping centers.”

Liquidation sales have already started in some locations and the rest will begin later this month. A list of the approximately 45 locations could not be obtained directly by CNBC.

Macy’s operates 544 of its eponymous department stores, along with 34 Bloomingdale’s locations, 19 Bloomingdale’s outlets and 166 Bluemercury stores, according to its website.

This story develops. Please check again for updates.

.Source