Legendary retailer and Macy's rival closes its doors after 102 years admitting its been 'squeezed out'

AN iconic store and Macy’s rival has shuttered for good after 102 years in service.

The Charleston Department Store in Charleston, West Virginia announced it would say goodbye to shoppers this spring.

The legendary store first made a name in the Charleston community in 1921 for its affordable uniforms and casual attire.

Over time, the store expanded its lineup to include medical scrubs, college apparel, and shoes.

Local shoppers knew the store as a beloved institution, but now it’s unclear what’s next for the retail space.

Charleston Department Store’s third-generation owner Barry Ogrin told 13 News the retailer’s main priority right now is taking care of employees.

“It’s the hardest decision I’ve had to make since I got married 46 years ago,” Ogrin said of the impending closure. “I worry about them and will do whatever I can to help them find something else.”

Ogrin said his employees are like family, but many retail vendors have been turning away from small, local businesses in recent years.

“It’s been a long and wonderful journey keeping this business together for three generations in my family,” Ogrin told The Charleston Gazette-Mail. 

The retail landscape has changed dramatically over the past 10 years however, he added. 

“The pandemic hurt small businesses all over the country, as it accelerated the online competition we now face,” Ogrin said. “The cost today to keep an operation like ours competitive and profitable has become extremely difficult.”

Charleston Department Store has struggled with getting enough inventory to compete with the online retail sites, Ogrin said.

The sportswear industry alone got rid of 35,000 smaller store accounts this year.

“It’s always the small guys that get squeezed out,” Ogrin told the local station.

Before the retailer closed officially, shoppers earned massive discounts on products storewide as the shop attempted to get rid of remaining inventory.

RETAIL APOCALYPSE

The demise of the Charleston Department Store reflects a larger trend for retailers nationwide.

Consumers have shifted their spending habits to favor online shopping, where large manufacturers can sell items straight to shoppers without any brick-and-mortar stores.

Charleston Department Store’s top competitor Macy’s has also experienced significant financial strife in recent years.

Over the next three years, the department chain intends to close a total of 125 locations.

That will mean nearly a fifth of their U.S. stores will be gone by the end of 2023.

At the beginning of 2020, Macy's operated 777 Macy's and Bloomingdale's storefronts. The goal now is to get closer to 650 stores.

The store closures will impact at least 18 different states across the nation.

Even retail giants like Walmart have struggled due to the changing dynamics.

Four new closures were announced in Chicago for the company, leaving many shoppers with one less place to find affordable groceries.

"The simplest explanation is that collectively our Chicago stores have not been profitable since we opened the first one nearly 17 years ago," Walmart said in a statement.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg as Walmart looks to get rid of more underperforming stores.

An Everett, Washington Walmart will shutter on April 21 alongside locations in South Bend, Indiana, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and Honolulu, Hawaii.

A famous family-run restaurant is closing up shop in New Jersey after serving patrons for 74 years.

Meanwhile, a beloved drug store is also going out of business in Pennsylvania.