Macy’s will close 40 stores, 1 in Spokane

Announcing “a series of cost-efficiency and process improvement measures,” Macy’s Inc. said Wednesday it will close 40 stores and reduce staffing at 770 “going-forward stores” in 2016.

The only store slated for closure in Washington, according to a list from the company, is in downtown Spokane.

“In some cases there will be short-term pain as we tighten our belt and realign our resources,” stated Macy’s Chairman and CEO Terry Lundgren in a news release.

Idaho will face one closure, at the Palouse Mall in Moscow, while Oregon will see two closures, at the Pony Village Mall in North Bend and the Roseburg Valley Mall in Roseburg.

Along with the closures, Macy’s announced that “an average of three to four positions will be affected” in each of its remaining Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, for “a total of about 3,000 affected associates nationwide.”

Among other cost-cutting initiatives, the company said it would consolidate regional and district alignments; implement “a voluntary separation opportunity” for some 165 senior executives; reduce 600 “back office” positions; and eliminate a St. Louis call center while adding staff to a center in Ohio.

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Macy’s will close 40 stores, 1 in Spokane."