Disney is one of the most famous names in the United States. Everyone knows Disney. Everyone loves Disney. That’s because they stand for inventive good times that the public knows that so well. In recent years, Disney has taken a new step forward. That comes with the creation of Disney Stores all over the country. Disney stores are a place to go to share in the magic of the company. This where kids go to have fun with parents. It’s where parents go to get the perfect gift for a very special birthday. Unfortunately, the Disney store near me may not be in business much longer. The company needs to close a few stores soon.
Changing conditions in the United States and the rest of the world have led the company to rethink their retail business strategy. This has been particularly true in the past year. The rise of COVID-19 has an impact on the way that consumers shop. More and more, people are turning online to buy things. They’re avoiding crowds that create problems in favor of more intimate shopping experiences. They want to find items but they don’t necessarily head off to the mall to spend money. They’ve also come to expert more from the retail experience when they buy things from Disney.
All of these factors in combination are part of the many reasons why those Disney are making the decision to rely less on their chain of retail stores. It’s also why they’re revamping their strategies to continue to serve the public and help them buy their favorite Disney products. Disney stores all over the United States will face issues like closures that may lead to layoffs. Find out if your local store is going to be impacted by this developing situation.
Locations That are Going to Close
Stores are going to close in twenty-one states ranging from California to New Jersey. The number of store closings varies by state. In Georgia, the store in Buford will be shut. The same is true of stores in Clarksburg, MD, Auburn, MI, Chesterfield, MO, Las Vegas NV, Merrimack NH, Nashville TN, Salt Lake City, UT, Woodbridge VA and Tukwila WA. Other states like New York, New Jersey and California will see multiple stores close in their states.
California is going to be particularly hit hard. A number of Disney stores are closing here including those in Cerritos, Fresno, Gilroy, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Valencia. Four Disney stores are being shuttered: Doral, Lutz, Miami and Orlando. In Illinois, stores in Aurora, Chicago, Gurnee and Shaumburg will no longer be in operation. Stores in New Jersey that are going out of business are in Deptford. Edison, Jackson and Paramus. New Yorkers will no longer be able to shop at locations in Central Valley, Elmhurst, Lake Grove and Niagara Falls. Texas locations going out of business are: Houston, McAllen, Mercedes, and Round Rock.
California is losing a total of eighteen locations. Five Disney stores will remain in the state. That gives the state the largest number of stores in any location. Likewise, Texas is losing several freestanding Disney stores but will still have four locations. The new closings mean that many states will only have a single location rather than many places to shop there. Such states include Maryland, Utah and Washington state. Liquidation sales are already in progress in many stores, making it clear to consumers that closure is going to happen soon. Officials expect this process to continue in the coming weeks.
A New Direction
The new changes are not unexpected. Disney officials stated their plans to close retail stores in the last few months. In March, they announced plans to close forty stores nationwide. While these existing Disney store locations are closing, Disney officials are working with other companies to give their clients access to the Disney merchandise they want. Disney has partnered with retail giant Target to open up in-store locations for their clients.
By the end of the year, they intend to have over a hundred Disney stores inside Target locations all over the country. The new stores will have lots of new merchandise aimed at both children and adults. Each store will also have merchandise that changes as the seasons change. This should allow clients to buy items even if their local store is nowhere nearby.
The closings also do not have an effect on the stores found in Disney parks in the United States and other parts of the world. That leaves a total of more than six hundred Disney stores for customers to use. It means visitors to the store’s famous parks will still be able to buy one of kind merchandise that many people love such as signed Disney animation cels and other memorabilia from the early days of the company’s operation.
New Plans
Such company closings are indication of the company’s shift to new ways to buy items. When Disney first paired up with marketing genius Kay Kamen in the 1930’s, product sales immediately took off. Many items such as the Mickey Mouse watch became instant classics of American design. Today, company officials continue to honor the company’s roots. Well made items just right for collecting will continue to dot the shelves. But officials realize it is important to respond to changing marketing conditions.
That’s why they’re going online with many items for sale. Online sales allow company officials to respond to rapidly changing market condition. They also allow for releases of limited quantities of items that might only be available for a short time. This is the kind of innovative thinking that has long helped the company deliver consistent quality items to their many awaiting fans.
