Huge American Retail Chain Suddenly Closing 100s of Stores

Walk through any mall in America and you’ll sense it immediately: a strange hush where there was once a roar. Shopfronts that used to be abuzz with chatter are now vacant, their windows covered in cardboard, and “For Lease” and “Permanently closed” signs run rampant.

Social media is flooded with ever-changing rumors—another beloved chain, another round of closures, another community left questioning what happened and will happen next.

Another major American retail chain is closing down stores in this monumental retail evolution, but the real story is more complicated, and more personal, than you’d ever suspect.

Why Store Closures Hit Home: The Ripple Effect on Communities

When a large retailer shuts down, it’s not just a corporate blip. Neighborhood economies pay the price as jobs are lost, and foot traffic decreases. Further research shows that when big stores shut down, up to 8% of the businesses surrounding it also close their shops.

Property values plummet, tax coffers shrink, and the lifeblood of entire neighborhoods can fade, sometimes for decades. The domino effect is real—and right now it’s on the fast track.

Not Just One Chain: A Nationwide Wave of Closures

This isn’t an isolated incident. From Macy’s to Joann Fabrics, Party City to Walgreens, over 15,000 stores closed their doors in 2025 alone—doubling last year’s figure.

Each announcement breeds viral TikTok and Reddit posts, where consumers share both memories and frustrations. The “retail apocalypse” is no longer a sensationalized headline; it’s our new reality as malls empty and Main Streets nationwide shrink.

Why the Retailers Are Pulling the Plug: The Digital Tsunami

The closings are the product of a perfect storm: increasing e-commerce, evolving consumer habits, and ongoing cost pressures. Online shopping is now the norm for most Americans, with 70% of sales at some retailers deriving from digital stores.

Add to this increased inflation, higher rents, and the declining popularity of malls, and even the largest, most sturdy chains are forced to re-evaluate their business models—sometimes in eye-popping haste.

Torrid, Plus-Size Fashion Giant, Cuts 180 Stores

So which major retailer are we losing now? Plus-size clothing retail giant Torrid is closing 180 stores—nearly 30% of its whole fleet.

In June 2025, the company made this announcement, disclosing a seismic shift for a brand that has been a lifeline for consumers searching for trendy, size-friendly clothes.

With 70% of its sales having shifted to their online platform and their brick-and-mortar stores struggling, Torrid is making a move toward the digital market, leaving behind hundreds of storefronts—and thousands of devoted customers—in the process.

Remembering Torrid

Torrid was founded in 2001 as a Hot Topic offshoot and quickly became a beloved plus-size fashion brand with over 650 stores in 2024. Known for its inclusive sizing, ranging from sizes 10 to 30, and loyal community, Torrid’s decision to close 180 stores nationwide is something of a surprise.

The store catered to a market long underserved by mainstream fashion and these closures will impact communities across the U.S., though specific locations remain undisclosed.

What Does This Mean for Shoppers? The Human Toll

For many plus-size shoppers, Torrid’s physical stores were more than a place to shop; it was where they found acceptance and the perfect fit that other stores simply couldn’t provide.

Now, shoppers face longer travel times to stores, and the loss of a positive and communal space. Social media is flooded with reactions of dismay, nostalgia, and the dread of being pushed to shopping online exclusively.

This is a move that many consumers, who like to try on clothes before purchasing or who don’t have stable internet, may find hard to accept. While the shift is rational, it’s also inconvenient.

Layoffs, Loss, and the Real Faces Behind the Numbers

The impact extends to Torrid employees as well. Many reported hearing of the closures on social media, leaving them feeling both surprised and betrayed.

Throughout the industry, retail layoffs have increased by nearly 300% in 2025 as more than 75,000 jobs have been eliminated in the last five months.

For workers, especially women and minority groups who make up the vast majority of retail employees, the closures aren’t just a lost paycheck but a loss of stability and community.

Is This the End of the Mall Era?

Torrid’s decline is only a minor component in a much greater change. When anchor stores disappear, malls lose foot traffic and vacancy rates increase by nearly 9%.

The economic fallout is staggering: jobs lost, decreased property values, reduced municipal budgets, and a retail environment that is less appealing and less vibrant.

But some view this retail catastrophe as an opportunity—vacant space means that new enterprises can be established, and local business may be able to fill the vacancies created by closing retail giants.

Digital Dreams, Real-World Challenges

The future of retail may be in the combination of convenient e-commerce and fewer but more immersive and personalized bricks-and-mortar stores. The question remains: Will Torrid’s online store gamble pay off?

While advances in technology reshape the industry, the danger lies in the struggling consumers and neighborhoods that get left behind. The debate erupts on Reddit and TikTok threads debate whether this is progress or the end of era we can’t return to?

Resilience, Reinvention, and What We Can Do

With Torrid closing as many stores as it did is frightening, but it’s only part of a bigger story. The retail landscape is being remade, and so are customers and workers. All we can do is mobilize the creative reuse of abandoned sites, support local businesses, and demand digital change that includes everyone.

For Torrid fans, the company’s shift is unfortunate, yet it’s also an invitation to reimagine our ideal of what retail might be—more nimble, more convenient, and, hopefully, better positioned for the industries ever-changing nature.

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