Store closings in 2019 increase 59 percent

U.S. retailers announced 9,302 store closings this year, the biggest annual total in seven years, according to Coresight Research. Bankruptcy filings by Payless, Gymboree, Charlotte Russe and Shopko led to 3,720 shuttered locations, 2,100 of which were Payless stores. Other chains with massive closings included Fred's (564 closed) and Forever 21 (178 anticipated).