NJ Layoffs Coming: More Than 1,200 To Lose Jobs As 24 Stores Shut

NEW JERSEY — More retailers are leaving the state – leaving more than 1,200 layoffs in their wake as New Jersey continues to deal with what's been called a nationwide "retail apocalypse."

At least 24 stores also have announced in recent days that they're planning to close very soon. The news comes after a number of major national chains had already announced closings in New Jersey and elsewhere (see lists below).

Many of them are popular chains, too, that either ran into bankruptcy or decided to downsize stores "in order to preserve the whole company and save the jobs of 4,300 families," one company executive told Fox Business.

How many jobs will ultimately be lost, in total, is unclear. At least nine businesses in New Jersey have announced a total of 1,266 layoffs. But that number is expected to rise because some stores that announced closures haven't yet addressed the impact on employment.

Here are the layoffs coming and they're scheduled date:

• Barneys, Inc., Lyndhurst March 6, 21: Hundreds of Barneys employees were expected to lose their jobs as the troubled retailer goes through bankruptcy proceedings.
• MONOC - Monmouth Ocean Hospital Services Corp., Wall April 1, 320: MONOC — the Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corporation — announced on Jan. 23 that it will cease its patient treatment services as of April 1 and the hospitals that established the cooperative will take over. Read more: Ocean Sheriff Seeks A Smooth Transition When MONOC Shuts Down
• Transform SR LLC, New Brunswick April 12, 48
• PharMEDium Healthcare Corporation, South Brunswick April 20, 287: Health care distribution services company AmerisourceBergen is shutting down its PharMEDium business, including its Dayton facility, according to ROI-NJ.
• Berry Global, Phillipsburg April 22, 150
• Horizon America Supply Chain Solutions Inc., Hamilton Township April 30, 108
• Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. April 30, 73
• Manufacturers & Trust Company (dba) M&T Bank May 8, 149
• International Vitamin Corporation, Irvington, June 1: 110

Here are the stores that have announced closures:

• Modell's, the sports retailer, is closing the 24 stores – three in New Jersey – "in order to preserve the whole company and save the jobs of 4,300 families," CEO Mitchell Modell recently told Fox Business. Modell's plans to close stores in Marlboro, Woodbridge and West Berlin, a representative told The Asbury Park Press, while reversing a planned closure at Rockaway Townsquare in Morris County.
• Pier 1 Imports announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is pursuing the sale of the company. Pier 1, which announced last month it plans to close 450 stores, is moving forward with 13 store closures in New Jersey. Those stores are in Paramus, East Hanover Edgewater, Flemington, Flanders, Howell, Dennis Township, Princeton, Ocean Township, Woodbridge, East Brunswick, Millville and Cherry Hill.
• Walgreens will close three of its New Jersey stores in March, NJ Advance Media reported. Those are: Westampton on March 2; Lindenwold on March 3; and Hackensack on March 9, the report said.
• Sears and Kmart announced that it plans to close stores in Moorestown, West Long Branch, Livingston, New Brunswick and Woodbridge, saying it's doing so "after careful review."
• Macy's also it plans to close 125 stores over the next three years, representing a fifth of the retail giant's locations, according to a report. New Jersey has 24 stores that could be threatened. Read more: Major Retail Stores Closing 3 NJ Locations; Another 24 Threatened

In January and February, these stores announced that they are shutting down:

• Bed Bath & Beyond: Bed Bath & Beyond is closing a store in North Jersey and another in South Jersey. The closings will take place this year. Jessica Joyce, a spokeswoman for the Union-based company, said the Newton and Turnersville locations will close as the store is "continually evolving to serve our loyal Bed Bath & Beyond customers better." Read more: 2 Bed Bath & Beyond Stores Closing In NJ
• Houlihan's: Houlihan's, a popular bar and restaurant chain, has closed its sites in Hasbrouck Heights and Woodbridge. Matt Manning, chief restructuring officer for parent company HRI, Inc., said in a statement that "there is never a good time to close a restaurant, but due to the wind down of the bankruptcy estate, the last day of business for both of these locations was December 28." Read more: Houlihan's Abruptly Closes 2 NJ Sites
• Gap: Two Gap clothing stores in New Jersey have closed, the company announced last week. The two stores that closed were located at Paramus Park Mall in Paramus and on Ridgewood Avenue in Ridgewood, the company said. Read more: 2 Gap Stores In NJ Close
• Bar Louie: The Bar Louie off Route 1 in Woodbridge abruptly closed over the weekend, announcing on their Facebook page their last day of business was this past Saturday. Read more: Woodbridge Bar Louie Closes As Chain Files For Bankruptcy
• Abercrombie & Fitch The chain has closed its Paramus Park Mall location. A spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, the mall's owner, confirmed the store's closure and said news about future tenants would be shared soon. Read more: Abercrombie & Fitch Closes Paramus Park Store
• Pier 1 Imports: Though it hasn't released an official list of the 450 stores that will shut, Pier 1 Imports has apparently revealed some of the planned closings in New Jersey and elsewhere, according to Business Insider. The chain has erased 260 locations from its website, including 12 in New Jersey, and Pier 1 also confirmed on Facebook that stores removed from the website will be closing. Read more: 14 New Jersey Retail Stores Doomed To Close: Reports
• Kirkland's: NJ Advance Media and The Record 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.
• Papyrus: Papyrus, a stationery retailer, is closing all of its stores across the country, according to Fortune and nj.com. The chain operates eight New Jersey stores in these towns: Bridgewater, Hackensack, Ridgewood and Paramus, Jersey City, Short Hills, Marlton and Chester.
• Boston Market: The Boston Market in Brick has closed, according to News12.
• Black Rose Antiques & Collectibles: The anchor at Phillipsburg Mall now has announced a March closure, according to NJ Advance Media.

Other chains had previously announced closures:

• The Sears at Freehold Raceway Mall will close by February. The store was the last of the chain's sites at the Jersey Shore, where the storied company once had locations in Toms River and a number of locations throughout the region. Read more: Sears At Freehold Raceway Mall Is Closing
• The Children's Place at the Bridgewater Towne Center is closing and hosting an inventory sale to get rid of everything inside. Read more: The Children's Place Is Closing In Bridgewater, Holds Major Sale
• The retail chain Destination Maternity plans to close 201 locations in the United States, including four in New Jersey, as the maternity apparel store continues through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection case. Read more: Destination Maternity Closing 4 Stores; 642 Layoffs In NJ: Report
• Forever 21 also identified the locations in New Jersey that are set to close: Deptford, Mays Landing, East Hanover, Cherry Hill, Short Hills and East Brunswick

Other retailers that have announced store closings – but haven't disclosed where or when they'll occur – include Barneys and Walgreens.