Saks Fifth Avenue Is Closing Stores in 12 States — Here's Every Location Affected

Saks Fifth Avenue, the iconic luxury department store chain, is shutting down 12 more locations across 12 states as parent company Saks Global pushes deeper into its Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring. The closures, announced on March 6, 2026, will eliminate hundreds of retail positions by the end of May. For workers caught in the crossfire of luxury retail's ongoing contraction, understanding which stores are closing, how many jobs are at stake, and what comes next is critical. Metaintro breaks down everything displaced retail workers need to know.

Which Saks Fifth Avenue Stores Are Closing in 2026?

Saks Global has now announced two rounds of store closures since filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2026. The latest round, revealed on March 6, adds 12 Saks Fifth Avenue locations and three Neiman Marcus stores to the chopping block. All affected locations are expected to remain open through the end of May before permanently shutting their doors.

Here is the complete list of Saks Fifth Avenue stores confirmed for closure:

First Wave (Announced February 2026)

1. The Summit — Birmingham, Alabama
2. Polaris Fashion Place — Columbus, Ohio
3. American Dream — East Rutherford, New Jersey
4. Shops at Canal Place — New Orleans, Louisiana
5. Bala Plaza — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6. Biltmore Fashion Park — Phoenix, Arizona
7. Stony Point Fashion Park — Richmond, Virginia
8. Utica Square — Tulsa, Oklahoma

Second Wave (Announced March 6, 2026)

1. Magnificent Mile — Chicago, Illinois
2. North Star Mall — San Antonio, Texas
3. Chevy Chase — Chevy Chase, Maryland
4. South Coast Plaza — Costa Mesa, California
5. The Gardens on El Paseo — Palm Desert, California
6. Tysons Galleria — Tysons, Virginia
7. Beachwood Place — Beachwood, Ohio

In addition to the Saks Fifth Avenue closures, three Neiman Marcus locations are also closing, including stores in Canoga Park, California, and other markets. The combined 24 department store shutdowns will leave Saks Global operating just 13 Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide — including its flagship location on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue — along with 32 Neiman Marcus stores and the two Bergdorf Goodman locations in New York City.

The damage extends well beyond full-line department stores. Saks Global is also closing 45 of its 57 Saks Off 5th discount locations, shuttering 14 of 17 standalone Fifth Avenue Club personal styling suites, and winding down the Horchow home goods website. Only 12 Saks Off 5th stores will remain open to sell residual inventory.

How Many Jobs Are at Risk From the Saks Store Closures?

While Saks Global has not released a total employee impact figure — stating only that it is "providing transfer opportunities where available" — the numbers from individual stores paint a sobering picture. A typical full-line Saks Fifth Avenue location employs between 100 and 200 workers, meaning the 12 newest closures alone could displace an estimated 1,200 to 2,400 employees.

State-level filings from the first wave of closures provide concrete data points. The Biltmore Fashion Park store in Phoenix reported 67 employees affected. The Polaris Fashion Place location in Columbus, Ohio listed 41 workers facing layoffs. The Sarasota, Florida store reported 66 employees displaced. And perhaps the single largest blow came from the closure of Saks Global's distribution center in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where 435 warehouse and logistics workers lost their positions.

When accounting for both waves of full-line store closures, the Off 5th shutdowns, the Fifth Avenue Club closures, distribution center layoffs, and corporate restructuring, the total number of jobs affected across Saks Global's bankruptcy could reach well into the thousands. The luxury retailer employed approximately 17,500 people before the restructuring began.

The states bearing the heaviest burden include California, which is losing multiple Saks Fifth Avenue and Off 5th locations; Ohio, where both Beachwood and Columbus stores are closing; Virginia, with closures in both Tysons and Richmond; and Pennsylvania, which faces both a store closure and the major distribution center shutdown.

Why Is Saks Global Closing So Many Stores?

The closures are a direct consequence of Saks Global's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on January 13, 2026. The company, formed through the controversial merger of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus backed by Amazon and other investors, entered bankruptcy carrying significant debt from the acquisition. The restructuring aims to reduce overhead, exit underperforming locations, and focus operations on the most profitable stores.

The luxury retail sector has faced mounting pressure in recent years. Shifting consumer habits, the rise of online luxury shopping through platforms like Farfetch and direct-to-consumer brand websites, and inflation-driven pullbacks in discretionary spending have all contributed to declining foot traffic at traditional department stores. Saks Global is currently in repayment negotiations with approximately 175 suppliers as part of the bankruptcy proceedings.

For context, this restructuring represents one of the largest luxury retail contractions in recent memory. The combined Saks-Neiman Marcus entity went from operating roughly 80 department store locations to fewer than 50 in a matter of months.

What Does This Mean for Displaced Retail Workers?

The Saks Fifth Avenue closures are not happening in isolation. They reflect a broader restructuring trend sweeping through American retail, where legacy department store models are being replaced by leaner, more digitally focused operations. For the workers affected, the immediate priority is understanding their options and acting quickly.

As Metaintro CEO Lacey Kaelani told Food Institute, "As businesses replace jobs in manufacturing, distribution and general office functions with automation, the job loss will continue." While Kaelani's comments were directed at the beverage industry, the same dynamics are reshaping retail: companies are investing in digital capabilities and e-commerce fulfillment while cutting traditional in-store positions.

Saks Global has indicated it will offer transfer opportunities "where available," but with the company's store footprint shrinking by more than half, the realistic number of internal transfers will be limited. Workers should not wait for a transfer offer that may never come.

What Should Displaced Saks Workers Do Next?

If you are among the employees affected by the Saks Fifth Avenue closures, here are the most important steps to take right now.

File for Unemployment Benefits Immediately

Each state has its own unemployment insurance program, and benefits vary significantly. Workers in California, Illinois, and New Jersey may qualify for higher weekly benefit amounts than those in Alabama or Oklahoma. Visit your state's unemployment office website or call their hotline within the first week of your last day of work. Saks Global is required to comply with the WARN Act (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification), which mandates 60 days advance notice for mass layoffs, giving affected employees a window to prepare.

Leverage Your Transferable Skills

Luxury retail workers possess a unique combination of skills that translate well to other industries. Customer relationship management, high-value sales experience, visual merchandising, and personal styling expertise are all in demand across sectors including real estate, hospitality, wealth management, and corporate event planning. The rise of luxury resale platforms like The RealReal and Vestiaire Collective has also created new roles that specifically value deep product knowledge of high-end fashion and accessories.

Explore the Growing E-Commerce and Fulfillment Sector

The same digital transformation pressuring brick-and-mortar retail is simultaneously creating jobs in e-commerce operations, warehouse management, logistics coordination, and last-mile delivery. Amazon, Nordstrom, and other major retailers continue to expand their fulfillment networks. Workers with retail operations experience can pivot into supply chain roles that often come with competitive wages and benefits.

Upskill in Digital Tools and Customer Experience Technology

The retail workers who will recover fastest from displacement are those who invest in learning digital skills now. Free and low-cost certification programs from Google, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning offer training in digital marketing, data analytics, and customer experience platforms that retail employers increasingly require. Many community colleges in the affected states also offer rapid workforce development programs specifically designed for displaced workers.

Connect With Career Resources

Beyond individual job searching, displaced workers should take advantage of the career transition resources available through their state workforce agencies. Many states offer free resume reviews, interview coaching, and job placement assistance specifically for workers affected by mass layoffs. Metaintro also provides daily job market updates and curated opportunities to help job seekers stay ahead of the market.

What Stores Will Remain Open?

Despite the sweeping closures, Saks Global will maintain its presence in several major markets. The 13 remaining Saks Fifth Avenue stores include locations in New York City (the flagship Fifth Avenue store), Beverly Hills, Houston, Boston, Atlanta, and other high-performing markets. The two Bergdorf Goodman locations on Fifth Avenue and 58th Street in Manhattan will also remain open.

The decision to keep stores in these specific markets signals that Saks Global is betting its future on its wealthiest customer base in the highest-traffic luxury corridors. Markets like Birmingham, Tulsa, and New Orleans — where luxury foot traffic has declined more sharply — are being abandoned in favor of a smaller, more concentrated retail footprint.

For workers in cities that are retaining their Saks stores, the restructuring may actually create some internal transfer opportunities. However, competition for those positions will be intense, as displaced employees from multiple closing locations may all be vying for the same openings.

People Also Asked

Q: Is Saks Fifth Avenue going out of business entirely?

A: No, Saks Fifth Avenue is not going out of business entirely. Parent company Saks Global is using Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure its operations and reduce debt. After all planned closures, 13 Saks Fifth Avenue stores will remain open, including the flagship Manhattan location, along with 32 Neiman Marcus stores and both Bergdorf Goodman locations. The company is focusing on its highest-performing markets to emerge from bankruptcy as a leaner operation.

Q: When will the Saks Fifth Avenue stores officially close?

A: All affected Saks Fifth Avenue stores are expected to remain open through the end of May 2026, with final closure dates varying by location. Some stores from the first wave of closures announced in February may close slightly earlier. Employees at affected locations should receive specific dates from their store management, and state WARN Act filings provide official timelines for each location.

Q: What kind of jobs can former Saks Fifth Avenue employees get?

A: Former Saks Fifth Avenue employees have highly transferable skills. Luxury retail experience translates well into real estate sales, hospitality management, wealth advisory services, corporate event planning, and personal shopping or styling for private clients. The growing luxury resale market through platforms like The RealReal specifically values deep knowledge of high-end brands. E-commerce, warehouse management, and customer experience technology roles are also strong options for retail workers looking to pivot into growing sectors.

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