A POPULAR women’s clothing store will be closing its doors, marking the end of an era after 27 years at the same location.
The Talbots store has been a fixture at The Summit shopping center in Birmingham, Alabama, since its opening in 1997.
Talbots is a popular clothing chain and Gap competitor[/caption]
Talbots at The Summit will close on October 26 after 27 years[/caption]
Customers were redirected to the website and a stand alone store in Montgomery[/caption]
A sign posted in-store confirmed the closure at the end of October, stating, “This location is closing, but this isn’t goodbye.”
It directs loyal customers to another location in Montgomery and encourages them to shop online.
The news was first shared on the Friends of HWY 280 Facebook page, where many long-time customers expressed their disappointment.
One person commented: “So terribly disappointed. This store served a huge community for such a long time… Sad day for women of the community.”
Another said, “I’m heartbroken. That location is a beautiful store. I often visit.”
Several customers voiced frustration, speculating that the closure is linked to the upcoming arrival of a Lululemon store at The Summit.
“So disappointed in The Summit for pushing this move for Lululemon. I guess money talks,” one post read.
The closure doesn’t mean the end for dedicated fans, as the store’s Montgomery location remains open, and shoppers can continue to buy online.
The Summit, meanwhile, has been busy with other new openings, including stores like American Eagle, Mizzen + Main, and Gorjana Jewelry.
Luxury brand BOSS is also set to open by the end of 2024.
RETAIL APOCALYPSE
With a raft of brick-and-mortar stores shuttering across the nation, retail experts say many chains are in financial strife due to increased borrowing costs and consumers tightening their wallets.
According to analysis by retail data provider CoreSight, there has been a 24% increase in store closures in 2024 alone.
Several retailers across the United States have undergone mass closures after bankruptcy filings this year.
Big Lots recently confirmed its Chapter 11 filing after weeks of speculation and detailed plans for around 545 store shutdowns.
LL Flooring will also close half of its over 400 locations after a quiet bankruptcy filing and revert to an old name under its new ownership.
Some clothing retailers also took similar actions.
Express filed for bankruptcy in April and confirmed nearly 100 locations would shutter for good.
Rue21 also submitted another bankruptcy filing after one in the early 2000s and confirmed it would shut down all of its remaining stores.
