As we close out 2025, it is time to reflect on the events of the past year. Some of these events are good, and some are bad. I'd put "going out of business" in the bad category, unless you wanted out.
Cheapism put together a list of "Major retailers we said goodbye to in 2025." According to the article, "Some retailers have weathered the storm all right, think discount stores like TJ Maxx and Dollar Tree, but most have not. We've lost a number of high-profile companies this year, whether they filed for bankruptcy and went out of business completely, or drastically reduced their store locations. Here are the biggest retail closures of the last year."
Of these stores, I would have to say I probably visited Rite Aid the most, and there were the most Rite Aids in our area of these stores listed. In the town I live in, there were two Rite Aid locations.
In 2025, the largest retail store chain to go out of business was widely considered to be Forever 21, a once-dominant fast-fashion brand that had hundreds of locations across U.S. shopping malls.
After struggling for years with debt, changing consumer habits, and competition from online retailers, the company ultimately shut down all of its U.S. stores and exited the domestic retail market entirely, making it one of the most significant retail collapses of the year.
Cheapism added these retailers that did not go out of business but did close locations. Many more retailers shuttered stores this year without filing bankruptcy or going out of business completely. Here are some of them.
Macy's - Closed over 200 locations
Walgreens - Closed dozens of locations as part of a plan to close 1,200 stores
Forever 21 - Closed all stores but still operates online
Dollar General - Closed 150 stores
Kohl's - Closed two dozen stores
American Signature and Value City Furniture - Closing 33 stores
Carter's - Closing 150 stores
Petco - Closed three dozen stores
CVS - Closed hundreds of stores
JCPenney - Closed dozens of stores