Macy’s to close 66 stores, including 1 of Idaho’s last 2. What’s happening and where

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) – The Christmas shopping season, the peak sales period for many retailers, is past, followed by the season when struggling retailers often announce closures. No sooner did Kohl’s announce plans to shutter some of its stores in Idaho and elsewhere than Macy’s followed suit.

The iconic New York-based department-store chain, founded in 1858, on Thursday said that it would close its store in Coeur d’Alene in North Idaho and 65 others, all of which it listed online. They affect 22 states from coast to coast.

The closures will leave Idaho with just one Macy’s store, in the Boise Towne Square mall, according to the Macy’s store locator.

“Closing any store is never easy, but as part of our Bold New Chapter strategy, we are closing underproductive Macy’s stores to allow us to focus our resources and prioritize investments in our go–forward stores, where customers are already responding positively to better product offerings and elevated service,” said Tony Spring, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s Inc., in a news release.

The release said that strategy was announced 11 months ago and involved closing 150 “unproductive” stores over three years while investing in its 350 “go-forward” stores. This is the first round of closures announced since then.

8 Idaho store closures in 15 years

The chain’s presence in Idaho has been mostly shrinking since the Great Recession and the rise of Amazon.

Macy’s shut its store at Nampa’s Karcher Mall, formerly The Bon Marché, in 2009, and opened a store in Nampa’s Gateway Center near Interstate 84. Since then:

• Macy’s closed its downtown Boise store, also a former Bon Marche, in 2010. It was downtown’s last department store. The building at 10th and Idaho streets was later renovated to become the headquarters of Athlos Academies.
• After moving the Nampa store, Macy’s kept a clearance store in the Karcher Mall for several more years. That eventually closed. Karcher Mall itself has since been redeveloped as District 208, a commercial and residential center.
• Macy’s closed the Gateway store in 2017. It also closed stores in Moscow in 2016, Twin Falls in 2017, Lewiston in 2020 and Idaho Falls in 2021.

Including the clearance store and the forthcoming Coeur d’Alene closure, that’s eight Macy’s closures in the state since 2010.

Closing Boise-area stores: Kohl’s, Big Lots, Family Dollar

Macy’s announcement follows news of other recent closings of national retailers in the Boise area.

Kohl’s earlier Thursday said it would close 27 stores by April, including its Boise Towne Square store.

Big Lots, the discount chain, closed its store at State and Glenwood streets in Garden City in late fall 2024. Family Dollar and Dollar Tree stores on State Street in Boise closed in late spring 2024.

Walgreens, Rite Aid, Bench Commission, Dunia closures

Pharmacy chains are struggling, too. Walgreens closed a pharmacy off Federal Way in February 2024, and Rite Aid has closed six Boise-area stores since August 2023, leaving just two in Boise and one in Caldwell.

Some smaller, locally owned and longtime retailers have closed in Boise in the past year, including the Bench Commission on Rose Hill Street in Boise and Dunia Marketplace in West Downtown.