Macy’s in Nittany Mall to stay open, spared by company cuts

Macy’s announced 36 closings Friday, including two in Pennsylvania, but the Nittany Mall store will remain open.

The retailer announced impending closures in September due to underperformance but did not list where at the time. The Macy’s locations in Ardmore and West Mifflin, will close in the early spring. The Macy’s in downtown Pittsburgh also recently closed.

“In today’s rapidly evolving retail environment, it is essential that we maintain a portfolio of the right stores in the right places,” Macy’s Chairman and CEO Terry Lundgren said in a release. “So we will continue to add stores selectively while also being disciplined about closing stores that are unproductive or no longer robust shopping destinations because of changes in the local retail shopping landscape.”

The 40 combined Macy’s closings in the latter half of 2015 and early 2016 account for $375 million in annual sales, which the company expects to retain through other stores and online sales.

The closings will cause about 4,000 people to lose their jobs, though the company said it would try to transfer some employees to other stores and offer severance packages to eligible employees.

Macy’s also took a hit in holiday sales, experiencing a 4.7 percent fall from 2014.

Lundgren attributed the poor performance to warmer than usual weather and lower spending by tourists.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Macy’s in Nittany Mall to stay open, spared by company cuts."