Where To Watch
These stores are gone for good. Which ones would you bring back?
Everything must go!
Nothing lasts forever... Even our favorite retail locations shut down sometimes!
We've compiled a list of great places to shop that have gone the way of the dodo.
Here's the big question: Which ones would you revive? If you could spend one more day browsing the aisles of some of these stores, which ones would you pick?
1. A.C. Moore
Arts and crafters everywhere mourn the loss of A.C. Moore From 1985 to 2019, there were few better places to purchase scrapbooking supplies. Nowadays, visiting A.C. Moore's website redirects you to their one-time competitor, Michael's, who bought the company during liquidation.
2. Borders
This one was particularly hard for book lovers. Gone are the days when you had options to browse for a new paperback. While Barnes & Noble is great, we miss the chance to choose! Here's some good news, depending on where you are in the world: You can still visit Borders in Qatar!
3. Pier 1 Imports
Pier 1 Imports was the perfect place for when you panic on Mother's Day. No matter what kind of Mom you've got, Pier 1 Imports had you covered. However, no amount of furnishings and decor could keep the publicly traded company from filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020. Today, shoppers are sadly pier-less.
4. Tuesday Morning
We love a deal! Unfortunately, we can no longer bank on the affordable discount merchandise at Tuesday Morning. "High-quality items and low prices" was the business plan beginning in 1974, which led the store to expand to over 700 locations. But it just didn't last. After a series of corporate restructurings, Tuesday Morning shut down for good in 2023.
5. Bed Bath & Beyond
Where else are you supposed to buy an air fryer and a fresh set of linens?! BB&B was the destination for gadgets, gizmos, bedding and towels. With their extensive "As Seen on TV" section, Bed Bath & Beyond had something to catch every shopper— until they didn't! They shut down the last of their stores in 2023, but those liquidations sales were to die for!
6. The Bon-Ton
This one's got some serious history! Founded way back in 1898, The Bon-Ton would grow to serve Western New York, Pennsylvania, and the Midwest. Things started going belly up around 2018 when the company closed 42 stores. By then, rapid expansion caught up with the retailer, who was unable to repay its loans. While there are no longer any brick-and-mortar stores, Bon-Ton still exists digitally as "Your Neighborhood Department Store Online!"
7. Barneys New York
Barneys was responsible for introducing several luxury brands to American buyers, such as Armani, Comme des Garçons, Christian Louboutin, and Zegna. Despite its lofty reputation, Barneys filed for bankruptcy for a second time in 2019 and shut its locations shortly thereafter. However, because of the brand's value, Saks Fifth Avenue partnered with the failing company to introduce specialty Barneys sections within its Saks Fifth locations.
8. Warner Bros. Studio Store
Why should Disney have all the fun? First opened in 1991, the Warner Bros. Studio Stores capitalized on the merchandise-friendly Warner Bros. library, creating a ton of great items with all your favorite characters. Anybody who visited will remember the incredibly-designed locations. Some even featured glass elevators carried by Superman!
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60 Comments
I do wonder will all these big spaced stores closing if small town stores will ever return. The current stores are so darn big, I find it hard to find what I am looking for. The stores have way too much to choose from.
It was also at Borders where I heard several acoustic covers of David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust songs in Portuguese (Brazilian singer Seu Jorge who did the soundtrack of Bill Murray's movie The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou).
And it was at yet another Borders location where I had to ask directions to the Comedy CD section for Weird Al's then-latest album, to be told by a guy who looked and sounded just like Jeff Goldblum "Comedy is just the other side of Blues". I told him he should get that made into a bumper sticker.
