The closures include 31 stores across 20 states that will shutter by the end of the month, building upon the nine locations that closed in 2019. An additional 35 locations are expected to close by the end of January 2021, leaving a remaining 25 to shutter next year, Express officials said in a presentation to investors.
According to CEO Tim Baxter, the downsizing is part of a larger cost reduction strategy aimed at helping to bolster the ailing mall brand. "My expectation is that we will return to a mid-single-digit operating margin through a combination of low-single-digit comp sales growth, margin expansion and cost reductions," Baxter said in a statement. "This will of course take some time, but we have a clear path."
An Express spokesperson provided a full list of the 31 stores closing this month. Here's the list of stores, organized by state: