A POPULAR home goods chain with spots across the US has fallen victim to the so-called retail apocalypse that has carried into 2025.
At Home is shutting down 30 locations for good, and thousands more store closures are looming, according to experts.
At Home is a popular home goods retailer that sells rugs, furniture, and more[/caption]
At Home is shutting down 30 locations, and thousands more will follow[/caption]
Founded in 1979, At Home is a home goods retailer that sells everything from furniture, rugs, and home decorations to bedding, outdoor furniture, and more.
The company operates roughly 260 stores across 40 states, although macroeconomic challenges have pushed the chain to cut back on its store footprint.
At Home confirmed that 30 of its locations are on the chopping block, closing down next month as the retailer launches huge closing-down sales.
The affected stores are located across 15 states including California, Florida, Illinois, and Indiana.
As the spots wind down their operations until their official closure on September 30, shoppers can score 30% off storewide, representing a “limited-time opportunity” for them to save on a variety of goods, per a press release.
FURNITURE FLOP
The wave of closures come in the wake of the furniture retailer’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in mid-June due to a number of factors, including mounting debt, economic headwinds, and tariff struggles.
In June, announced plans to shutter 26 locations across 12 states as part of its bankruptcy proceedings.
Court filings later revealed that two stores had been removed from the closing list and would continue normal operations.
The, At Home added six more locations to its closing list, bringing the total number of stores planned for closure to 30.
The six spots added to the lineup include:
- 3271 Market Place Drive, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501
- 101 Randall Road, Lake in the Hills, Illinois 60156
- 3175 West 3rd Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47404
- 3100 Washtenaw Avenue, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
- 2341 State Route 66, Ocean Township, New Jersey 07712
- 190 South 500 West, West Bountiful, Utah 84010
The furniture company is receiving assistance throughout the closure process from Hilco Consumer – Retail, the retail liquidation firm that assisted huge companies like Blockbuster, Toys R Us, and Bed Bath & Beyond with their closure sales.
“These six stores are offering some of the best deals shoppers will see all year – but only for a short time,” a spokesperson for Hilco Consumer – Retail said in the press release.
“Customers who want the best selection on furniture, décor, and seasonal finds should shop early before the most popular items disappear.”
US braces for ‘45,000 store closures’
Some 45,000 bricks-and-mortar stores could close in the next five years, experts have warned.
Several major retailers have announced store closures or gone out of business altogether in recent years.
In 2023, chains such as Foot Locker announced plans to close up to 400 outlets by 2026.
While, other well-known retailers like Tuesday Morning and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
Bed Bath & Beyond has closed all of its brick-and-mortar stores and is now an online-only retailer.
The most affected retailers have been clothing, consumer electronics, sporting goods, hobby, book, music, and home furnishing stores since the start of 2019.
UBS has predicted the total number of retail stores will drop by 45k from 958k to 913k.
Despite that, the report says that certain stores should thrive while others decline.
It said retailers such as Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, and Target, could be among the winners.
The sales at the closing stores are expected to run until all merchandise, fixtures, and store equipment is sold
Despite At Home’s bankruptcy, the company revealed plans to continue its operations as normal and keep the majority of its stores open.
RETAIL APOCALYPSE
At Home’s bankruptcy filing and slew of store closures are just a single example of how companies are struggling amid what is being called a “retail apocalypse.”
The U.S. Sun reported in January that an estimated 15,000 store closures are expected to take hold this year, nearly doubling since 2024.
Experts predicted that the shut downs would surpass store openings in the US this year, which were predicted to remain steady at roughly 5,800.
“We’re expecting elevated closure numbers to persist in 2025 as we are expecting this to be a period of disruption and adjustment – from newer, high-growth competitors and from policy changes,” John Mercer, head of global research for Coresight Research, told The U.S. Sun.
“Depending on how those types of disruptions play out, there’s potential for effects to endure beyond 2025 as multiyear effects from policy changes and increased competition impact physical retail.”
He explained that bankruptcies and closure programs that began last year would carry over into 2025, driving the high number of expected closures.
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