Clothing retailer H&M set to permanently close in downtown State College later this month
State College clothing retailer H&M, a Swedish-based company known for its fast-fashion brands, will permanently close later this month after operating the last five years inside Fraser Centre, according to two employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The store’s final day will be Sept. 18, one employee said, adding that employees learned of the move earlier this summer.
Neither corporate headquarters nor the U.S.-based media relations team returned messages from the CDT seeking comment. Employees at the local H&M told the CDT they were also not authorized to discuss the reasons for closing.
The move doesn’t come as a complete surprise, however, considering H&M announced last year it planned to close 350 stores — about 7% of its global total — in 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, H&M has placed a larger emphasis on online shopping to off-set losses from brick-and-mortar stores.
“We are increasing digital investments, accelerating store consolidation and making the channels further integrated,” company CEO Helena Helmersson said in a statement last fall.
The H&M in downtown State College opened in October 2016 as one of the first businesses inside the new Fraser Centre. The store is roughly 19,000 square feet, about two-thirds the size of the nearby Target.
It is not yet known what might replace the closing H&M.
