5 Ways to Check Kohl’s Stores Closing Now

What You Need to Know About Kohls Stores Closing Right Now

Kohls stores closing is real — here’s the fast answer:

Kohl’s announced on January 9, 2025, that it would close 27 underperforming stores across 15 states. The closures were completed by April 2025. California was hit hardest, losing 10 locations. Kohl’s also shut down its San Bernardino e-commerce fulfillment center in May 2025.

The closures came after 11 consecutive quarters of sales declines and a stock drop of roughly 40%. Despite this, over 90% of Kohl’s remaining stores are profitable. New CEO Michael Bender has confirmed no additional store closures are planned for 2026 — the focus now is on optimizing what’s left.

I’m Faisal S. Chughtai, founder of ActiveX, with deep expertise in digital trends and retail market analysis, including tracking developments like kohls stores closing across business and consumer news landscapes. In the sections below, I’ll walk you through exactly how to verify closures near you and what it all means going forward.

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5 Ways to Verify Kohl’s Stores Closing in Your Area

When news breaks about a major retailer pulling back its physical footprint, the first thing we all want to know is: “Is my local store on the list?” It’s a valid concern, especially if you rely on Kohl’s for those convenient Amazon returns or your seasonal wardrobe refreshes.

To help you stay informed, we’ve identified five reliable ways to check the status of kohls stores closing in your community:

1. The Official Kohl’s Store Locator: This is your most direct tool. By visiting the Kohl’s store locator, you can see real-time updates for specific branches. During the early 2025 wave, many locations updated their specific pages to reflect a final closing date of March 29.
2. Corporate Press Releases: For the “why” and the “how many,” always look at the source. The official press release issued by Kohl’s provides the strategic framework for these decisions, often detailing the exact number of sites being shuttered.
3. Local News and Google Alerts: Local journalists are often the first to report on the ground. Setting a Google Alert for “Kohl’s closing” plus your city name can give you a heads-up before the national news cycles catch on.
4. SEC Financial Filings: If you want to dig into the nitty-gritty of why a store is being axed, Kohl’s 10-K and 10-Q filings (available on their investor relations site) often discuss store productivity and lease obligations.
5. Verified State-by-State Lists: Media outlets like USA TODAY and CNN have compiled exhaustive lists of the 27 stores that closed in early 2025. These lists include specific addresses in states like California, Texas, and Ohio.

For those keeping an eye on the wider retail landscape, you might also want to check out more info about retail trends to see how other giants are managing their physical locations.

Understanding the Timeline and Reasons for Kohl’s Stores Closing

The retail world doesn’t move by accident. The decision to shutter 27 locations by April 2025 was a calculated, albeit difficult, move. Most of these stores officially locked their doors on March 29, 2025.

So, why did this happen? It wasn’t just one bad holiday season. Kohl’s had been wrestling with 11 consecutive quarters of sales declines. When a business sees that kind of trend, they have to look at their “underperformers.” In this case, the 27 stores chosen were simply not meeting the profitability benchmarks required to sustain them.

Another major factor was lease expirations. According to retail analysts, all 27 of the stores closed in early 2025 were leased properties. This meant Kohl’s could exit these locations without the heavy financial burden of selling owned real estate, allowing them to pivot more quickly.

Will there be more Kohl’s stores closing in 2026?

This is the big question on everyone’s mind. During a recent earnings call, CEO Michael Bender provided some much-needed clarity. He stated that the company does not currently have a “grand plan” to add or remove more stores from its current fleet of approximately 1,123 locations.

Instead, the company is shifting toward a strategy of “optimization.” While they will continue to perform “hygiene reviews” annually — which is corporate-speak for checking if a store is still pulling its weight — the goal is to make the existing 1,150-store base (pre-2025 closures) as productive as possible. Currently, over 90% of those remaining stores are profitable, which gives the company a solid foundation to work from.

Kohl’s Closures in the Context of Broader Retail Trends

Kohl’s is far from alone in this struggle. We are seeing a massive shift in how people shop. The rise of e-commerce giants and the success of off-price retailers like Ross and T.J. Maxx have put traditional department stores in a tight spot.

In 2024 and 2025, we saw thousands of store closures across the U.S. retail sector. For example, Macy’s announced plans to shutter roughly 150 underproductive stores through 2026. This trend reflects a broader move away from massive, sprawling department stores toward more curated, efficient shopping experiences. It’s not necessarily the “death of retail,” but rather a very loud “reset” button being pushed.

Impact on Employees and Operations

When a store closes, the human impact is the most significant part of the story. While the exact number of displaced workers wasn’t officially tallied in a single press release, typical Kohl’s stores employ between 50 and 150 people. This suggests that thousands of associates were affected by the 2025 closures.

Kohl’s has stated that all affected employees were offered support, which included:

• Competitive Severance Packages: For those who could not or did not wish to stay with the company.
• Internal Transfers: The ability to apply for open roles at other nearby Kohl’s locations.

Beyond the storefronts, Kohl’s also made a major operational change by closing its San Bernardino E-commerce Fulfillment Center (EFC) in May 2025. This facility had been in operation since 2010, but as technology shifted, Kohl’s found it more efficient to fulfill online orders directly from their stores. By using their existing shops as mini-warehouses, they can get products to customers faster while reducing the need for massive, standalone distribution centers.

The Future of Kohl’s Strategy

The leadership at Kohl’s has seen quite a bit of change recently. Tom Kingsbury, who helped steer the ship through the initial closure announcements, was succeeded by Ashley Buchanan (formerly CEO of Michaels) in early 2025. However, following a brief transition, Michael Bender has taken the reins with a focus on stabilization.

The new roadmap for Kohl’s involves several key pillars:

• Inventory Management: Making sure the right products are in the right stores to avoid heavy discounting.
• Value-Driven Impulse Buys: You may have noticed more items priced at $10 or less near the registers. These are designed to boost the “average basket size” of every shopper.
• The Sephora Rollout: The partnership with Sephora remains a crown jewel for Kohl’s, driving significant foot traffic and attracting younger shoppers.
• Proprietary Brand Growth: Focusing on in-house brands where margins are higher, particularly in women’s apparel and juniors.

By focusing on these areas, Kohl’s hopes to turn those 11 quarters of decline into a story of recovery. They aren’t trying to be the biggest anymore; they’re trying to be the most efficient.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kohl’s Closures

Which states are losing the most Kohl’s stores?

California felt the biggest impact by far, losing 10 of the 27 stores closed in the 2025 wave. Other states affected included Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. In total, 15 states saw at least one location shut down by the April 2025 deadline.

What happens to employees at closing locations?

Kohl’s has been proactive in offering “competitive severance packages” to associates at closing sites. Additionally, many employees were given the opportunity to apply for positions at other Kohl’s stores in their region. The company emphasized that these were “difficult but necessary” actions and aimed to support their staff through the transition.

Is Kohl’s going out of business entirely?

No. While kohls stores closing makes for big headlines, it is important to remember that the company still operates over 1,100 locations across the country. With over 90% of those stores currently turning a profit, the company is focusing on a long-term growth strategy rather than a total liquidation. They are essentially “trimming the fat” to ensure the core business remains healthy.

Conclusion

The landscape of American retail is changing, and kohls stores closing is a clear sign of that transformation. By shuttering underperforming, leased locations and focusing on store-level fulfillment, Kohl’s is attempting to build a more resilient future. While it’s hard to see local favorites go, the remaining 1,123 stores are now under pressure to perform better than ever.

At Apex Observer News, we are committed to keeping you updated on the latest shifts in the business world. Whether it’s a store closing or a new CEO taking the helm, we’ll be here to break it down for you. Check the latest retail trends to stay ahead of the curve.

For more updates on major closures, you might also be interested in our coverage of Costco’s latest announcements or how Applebee’s is managing its restaurant footprint. Stay tuned to us for real-time news that impacts your wallet and your community.