35-Year-Old Mall Retailer Closes 62 Stores Across the United States
In September 1990, a tiny retailer opened its doors in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Originally the beauty line for Express, Bath & Body Works eventually expanded to become a mall staple across the United States, Canada, and other international locations.
With a rotating cast of seasonal fragrances in beauty and home, including its beloved candle line, Bath & Body Works has racked up a cult following over its 35-year history, but as consumer habits shift away from brick-and-mortar and towards online shopping, the brand has had to shift its strategy to keep up with demand.
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In its full-year 2025 earnings release, Bath & Body Works revealed that it shuttered a whopping 92 stores, including 62 stores in the United States. An additional 30 stores, including two travel retailers, were closed internationally.
Masslive reports that the bulk of those closures were in mall-based locations, and that the brand's new store openings, including 21 in the fourth quarter, primarily took place in off-mall locations. In total, Bath & Body Works opened 94 new stores in the United States, 70 international stores, and four international travel retail stores in fiscal year 2025.
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In February, Bath & Body Works partnered with Amazon to bring some of its most popular products and fragrances to the e-commerce giant. A curated collection of Bath & Body Works products can now be found on Amazon in the United States, including body care items and home fragrances in fan-favorite fragrances like Mahogany Teakwood, A Thousand Wishes, and Champagne Toast.
"We are making progress, but transformations of this scale take time. We are undertaking a comprehensive, end-to-end evolution of our business - building a Bath & Body Works that is more innovative, more relevant, and easier to shop. This work lays the foundation for sustained, long-term growth as we reposition the company from a specialty retailer to a premier global brand," said Daniel Heaf, chief executive officer of Bath & Body Works.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 10:06 AM.