Go take a drive over to the nearest shopping center or nearest eating establishment, and chances are it will not look the same from when parents were their children’s age. Stores might be closed, rebranded, or completely demolished and repurposed into something else. The local IHOP and old Wendy’s might be demolished for a new car wash, the old Family Video stores bought out by other brands looking to save themselves money in these trying times. Nowadays looking back at 2024, which according to The New York Times is regarded as the worst year for store closures since 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic ran rampant throughout America; there are more casualties.
Party City, founded in 1986 and still the number one store for party supplies, announced on Friday Dec. 20, 2024 that they would be filing for bankruptcy. According to CNN, the chain will auction off and close down all of its 748 stores in North America by Friday Feb. 28, 2025; which includes locations in Davenport and Moline. The party supplies store had seen too much competition from e-commerce sites like Amazon, big box stores like Walmart, pop-up stores like Spirit Halloween, and a helium shortage that put the chain behind the eight ball to begin with.
When asked about what they think caused their demise, freshman Brandon Blanco Knapp agreed with the uptick in online shopping being a big reason for Party City’s downfall.
“Probably because the rise of online shopping would be a big reason for that because not many people go out shopping nowadays,” Blanco Knapp said.
Even by taking online business out of the equation, Party City was not doing great as a company to begin with. Less foot traffic in store combined with a shortage of helium for their popular balloons, led to the company’s own figurative balloon bursting.
If freshman Trystyn Moen was CEO for a day, and Party City was not on its dying days, he would change things in an attempt to increase foot traffic in stores.
“I’d make cooler costumes, add something new, or like, redesign the store,” Moen said.
Party City will forever be missed for their wide selection of balloons and costumes, and their loss is a large blow to people in communities like this one.
They are not the only big brand shuttering lots of stores however.
Big Lots, founded in 1967 and one of the largest discount retailers in the United States, initially announced on Thursday Dec. 19, 2024 that they would be closing and liquidating all of its remaining 963 stores over the coming months; however, according to Yahoo! Finance, a deal was made with Gordon Brothers Retail Partners to transfer and save around 200 stores. These stores will be under control by Variety Wholesalers Inc.; who owns more than 380 stores in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic United States. The Quad Cities had a location in Davenport that already closed down; however, the Moline location which is shown here is seen with liquidation signs outside the store despite the deal already being completed. On Friday February 14, 2025, Big Lots released a list of around 600 stores up for lease that will not survive, which includes the Moline location. The discount store faced out of control interest and inflation which led to their near collapse.
Freshman Adora Willits shares her big problem with Big Lots which caused her and her family to not shop there for the last few years.
“Probably not having good things there, I would try and make the things they sell a little more trendy,” Willits said.
Skyrocketing inflation and interest nearly eliminated this 58 year old brand, and stores that are not attractive or appealing to customers will not help either.
In the center of most Big Lots stores stands one of their most productive areas of business, furniture sales. While Big Lots struggles to stay afloat, a furniture company is already gone for good.
American Freight, founded in 1968 under Sears Surplus and in 1994 as American Freight, announced on Sunday Nov. 3, 2024 that they would file for bankruptcy and close all 328 of their remaining locations by the end of 2024. The QCA had one American Freight location which was located in Davenport. The furniture store conceded to “sustained inflation and macroeconomic challenges”, according to parent company Franchise Group Inc.
With higher prices on almost everything with inflation, including furniture, American Freight got caught up as people reduced spending which proved to be their downfall as a company.
“I’m not sure that a lot of people need furniture right now because not a lot of people are buying houses,” senior Donald Barton said.
As furniture stores continue to struggle, convenience and free access become more and more limited to potential customers.
“I will miss being able to buy furniture easily, having free access to look at and test different products,” Barton said.
Not only does the furniture have a hard time selling to homeowners and the general public, but the fabric used to make the furniture is hanging on by a thread, both figuratively and literally.
Joann Fabrics, founded in 1943 and one of the most popular craft and fabric retailers in the United States, announced on Jan. 15, 2025 that they would file for bankruptcy once again for the second time in less than a year after first filing on March 18, 2024. The 82 year old company first announced around 500 of its roughly 850 locations would close, which did not include the Davenport location, however multiple reports surfaced on Feb. 24, 2025 that new buyer Great American Group LLC would move to liquidate all remaining Joann stores in the United States. Joann blamed severe and unexpected inventory issues as the reason for its second bankruptcy, according to KWQC.
With all Joann stores shutting down, impacts will be felt throughout different communities.
“People [will not] be able to go there, … and there’s a lot of other places you can get that stuff for cheaper if you had to,” junior Aviana Sterling said.
Joann sewed together a successful business plan for 82 years, but the business landscape has altered so much in the last generation; new ways to shop have killed struggling and existing retail as the “big-box store” layout fades out.
The party is over for these notable brands, but who is next?
