Abercrombie & Fitch are considering the possibility of closing part of large-format stores located in shopping centers.
American fashion brand Abercrombie & Fitch decided to close three flagship stores at once as part of optimizing their business. The A & F flagships in Italy and Japan will cease to work shortly, and the main store of Hollister brand in New York will also close.
At the same time, Abercrombie & Fitch are considering the possibility of closing part of large-format stores located in shopping centers. Instead, the fashion retailer will open smaller outlets in locations nearby. Also, A & F will conduct a program to upgrade existing stores, which will affect 85 stores.
Thanks to a new optimization program, by the end of 2019, Abercrombie & Fitch will increase the total number of stores with a simultaneous decrease in retail space, which will reduce rental costs. The new development program is being implemented against the background of weak brand performance: over the past quarter, comparable sales were lower than projected and increased by only 1%.
Mall operators are no longer leasing space for pop-ups. They are selling audience access.
Physical stores still drive most retail sales, fulfill online orders, support AI shopping, and help brands return to market.
A practical guide to nine mall tenant formats in 2026, from flagships and pop-ups to anchor redevelopment and mixed-use retail.
1,051 of 1,173 US malls hold zero ultra-luxury brands. Half of all Cartier, Chanel, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton mall stores…
Every physical expansion decision starts with the same question: where does the store go?
900 malls remain in the United States. The top 100 account for half the sector's value.
Verified signals on brand expansion, store openings, and mall development. Free.
Free · No credit card · Unsubscribe any time
Billed annually · View full comparison · Payment via invoice or PayPal
