Popular Mall Retailer Files Bankruptcy and Closes 95 Stores, 16 in California

More and more malls across the United States are struggling to fill vacant storefronts. Dozens of malls are about to scrub another popular fashion retailer from their directory. 

Express announced on Monday, April 22 that they have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will begin to close around 95 of their Express branded retail locations and all of the UpWest stores in their portfolios this week. In the notice, they said that all of their stores, whether they’re closing or not, will continue to operate under regular hours, accept gift cards and treat Express Insiders to their customer benefits. 

READ MORE: 9 Big Brands That Are Closing California Stores in 2024

They do have investors interested in trying to save the company and getting out of leases at these underperforming stores could help Express position itself for success when they come out on the other side.

Will Express Leave ANOTHER Vacant Location at Boise Towne Square Mall?

Of the 323 remaining Express stores, the location at Boise Towne Square Mall is their only location in Idaho. While Express didn’t readily make the list of 95 stores getting the ax available, they are listed in the bankruptcy documents filed in Delaware. The location at Boise Towne Square is not currently on the list of stores slated to close. 

Get our free mobile app

The store seems to be a bit of a cockroach, which is good if it's one of your favorites. Before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted stores, Express had already planned to close 31 stores by the end of January 2020. They planned to close 135 more from 2021 to 2022. At the time, the Idaho Statesman reported that the Boise location had strong sales and was spared from that round of closures.

The five remaining stores in Washington, two stores in Utah and one store in Oregon will also survive this round of closures.

California To Lose More Than a Dozen Express Location

California wasn't quite as lucky as the Pacific Northwest. At press time, Express has 48 stores in California. 16 of those will close in the initial round of closures.