14 New Jersey Retail Stores Doomed To Close: Reports

NEW JERSEY — Two retailers reportedly are pulling the plug on 14 stores in New Jersey.

Though it hasn't released an official list of the 450 stores that will close, Pier 1 Imports has apparently revealed some of the planned closings in New Jersey and elsewhere, according to Business Insider.

NJ Advance Media and The Record also reported that at least two Kirkland's stores are shutting down. A manager at the home decor retailer's store in West Long Branch told NJ Advance Media that the site is closing, and The Record said the Bergen Town Center store in Paramus is shutting within two months.

Kirkland's said in a release that it has further reduced expenses at its corporate office and is planning to close 27 stores in early 2020, with the potential for further reductions in the store base later in the year.

Earlier this month, Pier 1 said it would likely close half of its stores to "better align its business with the current operating environment."

Last week, Business Insider reported that the chain has erased 260 locations from its website, including 12 in New Jersey, and that there's strong evidence the retailer plans to close those stores. The Record of Bergen County also reported that serveral stores planned to close.

"Business Insider contacted 20 of the stores from the list at random, and employees at each location confirmed they would close. Many of the deleted locations were advertising clearance sales online in the days before they disappeared," the report said.

Pier 1 also confirmed on Facebook that stores removed from the website will be closing. "If you have any questions about stores in your area, you can visit Pier1.com and enter your zip code at the top of the page. Closing locations have been removed from this list," Pier 1 said.

These New Jersey stores have been removed from the website:

• 375 Rte 10, East Hanover
• 11 The Promenade, Edgewater
• 58-64 Rte 4 East, Paramus
• 39 Reaville Ave, Flemington
• 30 International Dr South, Flanders
• 4759 Route 9 North, Howell
• 5 Court House South, Dennis Township (Cape May Court House)
• 3512 Brunswick Pike, Princeton
• 1100 Highway 35, Ocean
• 615 Route 18 South, East Brunswick
• 2148 North 2Nd Street, Millville
• 801 Haddonfield Road, Cherry Hill

As Patch previously reported, the company plans to close some distribution centers and lower its corporate spending, as well as lay off workers at the corporate level. Pier 1 said it will use a third-party liquidator to help with the closings, noting that its lenders signed off on its plan to reduce its brick-and-mortar footprint.

Robert Riesbeck, CEO and CFO of the retail chain thanked store workers for their hard work and commitment to serving customers.

"Although decisions that impact our associates are never easy, reducing the number of our brick-and-mortar locations is a necessary business decision," he said in a statement.

The planned closures come as the company faces smaller foot traffic.

Founded with a single location in 1962, Pier 1 Imports currently operates 936 stores in the United States.

Patch staffers Kara Seymour, Dan Hampton and Shannon Antinori contributed to this report