Macy's in Center City Philadelphia to close | See list of 66 stores shutting down

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Macy's department store in Center City Philadelphia will be closing its doors for good, the company announced on Thursday afternoon.

The store, located in the historic Wanamaker building at 1300 Market Street, is one of 66 closing across the country. Also on the list of closures is the Macy's in the Exton Square Mall in Chester County.

Macy's said in a news release the closures are part of its "Bold New Chapter" strategy, which is designed to "return the company to sustainable, profitable sales growth."

The plan, announced in February 2024, includes the closure of a total of 150 stores over a three-year period.

The company said it will ultimately move forward with 350 stores.

In a statement, Macy's chairman and CEO said the closures will allow the company to focus on its remaining locations.

The iconic Wanamaker building was completed in 1911, becoming the first department store in Philadelphia, and home of the historic organ. Many visited the department store during the holidays to see the Christmas Light Show and Dickens Village.

RELATED: A look inside the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia

We take you inside the Wanamaker Organ, a historic Philadelphia landmark that's been restored in a glorious golden fashion!

"It's a sad day for Philadelphia but again, it's also an opportunity for us to reimagine our place as a top-notch city in this great country," said Councilmember Mark Squilla.

Whatever the future holds for the building, the organ and the eagle statue are protected by the city's Historical Commission. City leaders say historical assets will be worked into a reuse plan.

In a news conference, city officials acknowledged that the news was disappointing.

"This is sad news for many Philadelphians. Macy's, and Wanamaker's before, has been more than just a department store. It has been a beloved part of our city's cultural fabric, home to treasured traditions like family trips to see the Christmas Light Show and hear the grandeur of the Wanamaker pipe organ," said Alba Martinez, Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia.

However, Martinez said the closure is not an ending, but rather a new beginning for the Wanamaker building and for Market East.

She went on to say the city envisions a mix of possible uses for the Wanamaker building, such as retail, dining, residential, cultural attractions and more.

The closure comes at a time when the Sixers are preparing to break ground for their new arena down the street.

"We're going to make strong considerations on how we can make this particular transformational, once-in-a-lifetime investment from the Sixers work for the whole entire corridor, and the Wanamaker building would be part of that," said Planning and Development Director Jesse Lawrence.

During the news conference, local leaders stated that crime did not play a role in the closure of this Macy's. But they emphasized creating a safe environment here and across the city is Mayor Cherelle Parker's top priority.
The company released a list of the store closures Thursday.

There are resources available to help employees impacted by the store closure, and the city say it is prepared to help with job placement. You can learn more by visiting: pacareerlink.pa.gov/jponline/

The company released a list of the store closures Thursday.

These are the locations Macy's plans on closing:

Arizona
6535 E. Southern Ave. in Superstition Springs Center (Mesa)

California
2015 Birch Rd. in Otay Ranch Town Center (Chula Vista)
6000 Sunrise Mall (Citrus Heights)
1400 Redwood Highway (Corte Madera)
750 W 7th St. (Los Angeles)
200 Newpark Mall (Newark)
1555 Camino De La Reina in Mission Valley Home (San Diego)
2838 South El Camino (San Mateo)
300 Westminster Mall (Westminster)
414 K St. (Sacramento)

Colorado
6797 South Vine St. (Centennial)
8298 E. Northfield Blvd. in the Shops at Northfield (Denver)

Florida
820 West Town Parkway (Altamonte)
9339 Glades Rd. (Boca Raton)
801 N. Congress Ave. (Boynton Beach)
4501 N. Federal Highway (Fort Lauderdale)
13640 Pines Blvd. (Pembroke Pines)
3501 S, Tamiami Trail in Westfield Siesta Key (Sarasota)
13251 South Dixie Highway (Miami)
298 Westshore Plaza in West Shore Plaza (Tampa)

Georgia
3360 Ventura Parkway (Duluth)
2100 Pleasant Hill Rd. in Gwinnett Place Mall (Duluth)
3630 Peachtree Parkway in Johns Creek Town Center (Suwanee)

Idaho
200 W. Hanley Ave. in Silver Lake Mall (Coeur d'Alene)

Illinois
104 White Oaks Mall (Springfield)

Louisiana
5733 Johnston St. in Acadiana Mall (Lafayette)

Maryland
600 Baltimore Pike in Harford Mall (Bel Air)
6901 Security Blvd. in Security Square Mall (Baltimore)

Massachusetts
101 Kingston Collection Way (Kingston)

Michigan
4600 Miller Rd. in Genesee Valley Center (Flint)
14200 Lakeside Circle in Lakeside Mall (Sterling Heights)
3400 S. Airport Rd. W. in Grand Traverse Mall (Traverse City)
500 W. 14 Mile Rd. in Oakland Mall (Troy)

Minnesota
14251 Burnhaven Drive (Burnsville)
3001 White Bear Ave. (Maplewood)

Missouri
400 NW Barry Rd. in Metro North Mall (Kansas City)
10 S. County Center Way in South County Center (St. Louis)

New Jersey
495 Prospect Avenue West (West Orange)

New York
422 Fulton St. (Brooklyn)
2027 Emmons Ave. (Brooklyn)
404 East Fordham Rd. (Bronx)
88-01 Queens Blvd. (Queens)
834 Walt Whitman Rd. in Melville Mall (Huntington)
1526 Union Turnpike (New Hyde Park)
400 Sunrise Mall (Massapequa)
397 Greece Ridge Center in Greece Ridge Center (Rochester)
98 Richmond Hill Rd. (Staten Island)

Ohio
2727 Fairfield Commons Blvd. (Beavertown)
5001 Monroe St. in Franklin Park Mall (Toledo)

Oregon
2055 NE. Allie Ave. at the Streets of Tanasbourne (Hillsboro)
400 High St. NE. (Salem)

Pennsylvania
5580 Goods Lane in Logan Valley Mall (Altoona)
245 Exton Square Mall (Exton)
1300 Market St. (Philadelphia)
59 Wyoming Valley Mall (Wilkes Barre)

Tennessee
4545 Poplar Ave. in Oak Court Mall (Memphis)

Texas
321 State St. in Southlake Town Square (Dallas)
6101 Long Prairie Rd. (Flower Mound)
1751 River Run (Fort Worth)
100 Almeda Mall (Houston)
6209 W. Park Blvd. at the Shops at Willow Bend (Plano)
201 Stacy Rd. (Fairview)

Virginia
170 Southpark Circle (Colonial Heights)

Washington
3500 S. Meridian in South Hill Mall (Puyallup)
15340 NE 24th St. (Redmond)
10315 Silverdale Way NW in Kitsap Mall (Silverdale)