Iconic Department Store’s January 9th Announcement May Have Dealt The Final Blow To The Essex County Struggling Shopping Mall
Sunday, January 11, 2026, 7:30 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Haylee Ficuciello, Economy & Finance Editor: Englebrook Independent News,
LIVINGSTON, NJ.- Macy’s, Inc. confirmed on Friday, January 9, 2026, that it will close its long-standing department store at Livingston Mall in Livingston, New Jersey, as part of a nationwide round of store closures, a development that threatens to hasten the decline of the once-bustling Essex County shopping destination.
Macy’s announced the closure of 14 stores across 12 states under its ongoing “Bold New Chapter” restructuring plan, aimed at streamlining the company’s footprint by shuttering underperforming locations through 2026. The Livingston Mall Macy’s, located at 112 Eisenhower Parkway, and an anchor tenant since the mall’s early years, was on the list of affected stores.
The official Macy’s store page for the Livingston location now displays a “Closing Soon” notice, and Macy’s personnel have confirmed the location will shutter toward the end of the first quarter of 2026 as liquidation and clearance sales begin.
The announcement came as a surprise to employees. On New Year’s Eve, Englebrook Independent News interviewed multiple Macy’s staffers at the Livingston location who said they were unaware the store was slated to close. Many expressed shock and concern about their future employment, given the lack of prior warning and the tight local job market.
“I’ve worked here for eight years. I had no idea this was coming,” one associate said, asking to remain anonymous. “We didn’t get any hint. It’s a real blow.” Another employee echoed the sentiment, noting that many colleagues had holiday season work schedules finalized only weeks earlier.
The closure of Macy’s at Livingston Mall marks a significant moment for the shopping center, which opened in 1972 and has endured decades of retail evolution. Once anchored by multiple national department stores, Livingston Mall has seen the departure of key tenants in recent years, including Sears and Lord & Taylor in the early 2020s, leaving Macy’s and Barnes & Noble as among the last major draws.
Retail analysts point to broader industry trends, including the rise of e-commerce, shifting consumer habits, and corporate efforts to cut costs, as drivers of Macy’s ongoing downsizing. While Macy’s leadership has characterized the closures as strategic, aimed at reinvesting in top-performing stores and digital channels, the loss of an anchor tenant at a struggling mall could accelerate the center’s decline.
Local residents and business owners have expressed mixed reactions to the news.
Economic development officials in Livingston have indicated that redevelopment discussions for the mall property, already underway, may gain further urgency with Macy’s exit. In March 2025, the township approved plans for a high-density housing redevelopment of at least part of the mall site, a mixture of residential and mixed-use plans aimed at rejuvenating the area.
Macy’s says it will provide support to affected employees, including opportunities for transfers when possible, severance packages, and outplacement services. This latest wave of closures follows a prior round of Macy’s downsizing in 2025, when dozens of other store locations were shut.
As shoppers adjust to the news and the liquidation sales begin, the community now faces the prospect of a major shift in local retail and the uncertain future of a mall that has been part of Essex County for more than half a century.
Editor’s Note:
All information in this article was verified through Macy’s official communications, public statements, and third-party reporting. Employee interviews were conducted on New Year’s Eve at the Livingston Mall location and corroborated for accuracy. This article reflects the facts as of publication on January 11, 2026. By Haylee Ficuciello, Economy & Finance Editor, for Englebrook Independent News.
