Kohl’s To Close Some Stores

Menomonee Falls, WI — Kohl’s Corp. will be closing 18 stores across the country this year, reportedly to meet the needs of its online customers – no word on whether the list includes Sonora.

Kohl’s reports the stores to close have underperformed and makes up less than one percent of the chain’s total sales. A manager at the East Sonora location told Clarke Broadcasting that store officials have not heard any word from the company and probably will not know until the corporate office announces the specific stores at the end of March.

Although Kohl’s fourth quarter earnings reached $296 million, which was ahead of Wall Street expectations, the Wisconsin-based retail chain’s CEO Kevin Mansell explained, “While the decision to close stores is a difficult one, we evaluated all of the elements that contribute to making a store successful, and we were thoughtful and strategic in our approach. We are committed to leveraging our resources on our more productive assets.”

The East Sonora store employees around 75 people and is located at the Junction Shopping Center.  Concerning the fate of workers at the folding shops, Mansell says, “Importantly, we also wanted to provide the best options for our associates and are proud that every affected store associate will be offered a position at nearby Kohl’s location, or if they prefer, a competitive severance package.”

Kohl’s expects the store closures to save $45 million.