https://moneywise.com/a/chains-closing-the-most-stores-in-2020
- Sears
Stores closing in 2020: 51
Sears is more than 130 years old — and is dying a slow death.
The iconic chain was once the largest retailer in the country, and it played a key role in the rise of shopping malls.
Its innovative mail-order catalogue forever changed the way people shop. The next time you order a rug or a refrigerator, you’ll have Sears to thank.
The company emerged from bankruptcy in 2019, but not looking any stronger. The months since have seen one round of store closings after another. Dozens more will be shutting down by February 2020.
The chain's current owner says in a statement that it's "pruning operations that have struggled due to increased competition and other factors."
- Kmart
Stores closing in 2020: 45
The home of the Blue Light Special first opened under the name Kmart in 1962. The discount chain had almost 2,500 locations worldwide in 1994, but the retailer closed hundreds when it filed for bankruptcy in 2002.
Two years later, Kmart merged with Sears. And that's when things really started going bad.
The lights have steadily been going out at Kmart stores in recent years. Dozens have shut down in 2019. Nearly 50 more will close by February 2020.
And that will leave just 182 Sears and Kmart stores still in business. Transformco, the company that now owns the two chains, says the business has faced "a difficult retail environment and other challenges."