California Retail Closures Resulting In Thousands Of Lost Jobs
Retail closures are hitting California hard. More than 7,000 retail jobs have been lost during the first half of the year. These job losses are significant because they result in fewer consumers able to spend money, only furthering the problems in retail.
The number of store closures in California increased by 15% to 76 closures during the first half of 2017 compared to the first half of 2016 with 66 closures, according to the state Employment Development Department. The increase was led by bebe, which has closed 35 stores throughout California so far this year, resulting in 696 job losses. Including the upcoming 24 store closures in California from Gymboree, these two stores will close a total of 59 locations in 2017.
NOTE: Greater Los Angeles includes Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Bernardino counties.
American Apparel’s closure led to 3,457 jobs lost in Los Angeles, mostly in its factories, nearly half of all jobs lost in retail so far this year. During the first half of 2016, more than 5,500 jobs were lost due to all retail closures throughout the state. Even though Los Angeles posted an increase in the number of job losses, store closures were about even with 30 stores closed during the first half of 2017 compared to 28 in the first half of 2016.
The closures at bebe also resulted in an increase in clothing and apparel closures, which increased by 50% in California to 49 closures compared to 24 in the first half of 2016. The number of department store closures declined during the first half of the year with 11 closures, compared to 19 during the first half of 2016.
NOTE: Greater Los Angeles includes Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Bernardino counties.
In the first half of 2016, Los Angeles was hit hard by closures at seven Walmart stores, which resulted in more than 1,000 jobs lost. Kohl's also closed down three stores in the region and Sport Chalet closed five stores.
NOTE: Other refers to bookstores and housewares.
So far this year, there have been no sports apparel closures, but there were seven closures last year with Sport Chalet and Sports Authority shuttering their remaining stores in California. Not all sporting goods stores are failing. Dick's Sporting Goods plans to open 43 new stores throughout the country by the end of 2017.
Check out all of the layoffs and store closures in California that totaled 7,112 lost jobs across the state during the first half of 2017 below.
