New York City based J. Crew will close five of its Atlanta area stores by the end of January. The troubled retailer, which announced plans this past November to close at least 39 stores nationwide, will shutter its stores at the Westside Provisions District and The Avenue East Cobb this coming Sunday, January 14. Stores at Mall of Georgia in Buford, North Point Mall in Alpharetta and The Forum on Peachtree Parkway in Norcross are slated to close Saturday, January 27.
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| J.Crew's Westside Provisions District store |
Store associates at the closing stores indicate that they are having no store liquidation sales and that the only sale going on, an extra 50% off clearance, for instance, is the same as is offered currently at all stores.
The Westside Provisions store opened in late August 2013 while the Ponce City Market store opened in August 2015, making them the two newest stores in the market.
J. Crew stores at Avalon in Alpharetta, Lenox Square in Buckhead, Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody and, Ponce City Market in Atlanta will all remain open.
The J. Crew on West Broughton Street in Savannah which opened in September 2014, is reportedly staying open. Additionally, outlet stores at The Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta in Woodstock, Tanger Outlets: Locust Grove, Tanger Outlets: Commerce, Tanger Outlets: Pooler, North Georgia Premium Outlets in Dawsonville, and J. Crew Mercantile - Georgia Heights in Athens, are also expected to stay open.
Sibling female-only J. Crew concept Madewell will also remain open at its four Atlanta area stores at Avalon, Lenox Square, Perimeter Mall and Ponce City Market.
The company reportedly operates 575 retail stores, including 281 J.Crew stores, 113 Madewell stores, and 181 J. Crew Factory (including 39 J. Crew Mercantile) outlet locations, as of 2017.
This past Sunday, ToNeTo Atlanta was first to report that Ralph Lauren is closing its two-level store at Lenox Square in Buckhead. The store, located in the mall's "Luxury Wing," is , like the J. Crew stores, slated to close January 27. January is a popular time for retailers to announce store closures as they assess store performance over the crucial fourth quarter.
It was reported last week that J. Crew may soon leave their longstanding headquarters at 770 Broadway in New York. Property owner Vornado Realty Trust is in talks to buy out tenants at 770 Broadway to allow for existing tenant Facebook to significantly expand their presence. J. Crew, which occupies about 300,000 square feet in the 1,000,000 square foot building overlooking Astor Place, hired JLL to find it a new corporate headquarters. The home of the former Wanamaker’s department store is so much a part of J. Crew’s identity that the company has a line of jeans tagged “770.” Vornado recently paid roughly $46 million to Kmart – whose department store occupies about 30,000 square feet on the ground floor, mezzanine and lower-level of the building – in what observers see as a buyout of the retailer’s lease.
Millard "Mickey" Drexler stepped down as CEO of J. Crew last June. Drexler, formerly CEO of The Gap, was hired as CEO of J. Crew in 2003, and is credited with successfully re-positioning J. Crew into a more upscale, aspirational brand. Drexler's creative counterpart, Jenna Lyons, who was also instrumental in J.Crew's rise in popularity over the last decade or so, departed the company last April, as did men's designer Frank Muytjens. It's no secret that retail is in trouble, and among the most impacted companies are teen and young adult apparel retailers such as J. Crew, Abercrombie & Fitch and Aeropostale. Drexler was succeeded by former West Elm president Jim Brett.
Are you surprised J. Crew is closing so many Atlanta area stores? What do you think J.Crew can do to survive in the changing retail environment? What would you like to see open in the soon-to-close J. Crew stores in metro Atlanta?
Please share your thoughts below.