Brace yourself: the American retail landscape is crumbling faster than ever in 2025, with thousands of stores shuttering their doors amid a brutal economic shift.
According to the Daily Mail, a staggering 5,822 brick-and-mortar stores have closed in just the first half of 2025, and experts at Coresight Research warn that up to 15,000 could vanish by year’s end, threatening the very foundation of in-store shopping and access to essentials like pharmacies.
Store closures have been accelerating across the U.S. this year. Last year saw 7,325 stores shut down nationwide, but the pace in 2025 is already alarming. The retail sector is bleeding, and the numbers show no sign of slowing.
“US retail is facing unusually high real-estate turnover as cyclical impacts confront structural shifts,” said John Mercer, Coresight’s head of global research.
“Store closures are up by two-thirds compared to one year earlier, while openings are flat,” Mercer added.
“That closures total is compounding closure numbers that were already up, year over year, in week 27 of 2024,” he noted, pointing to a compounding crisis.
The rise of e-commerce giants is a key driver behind this retail collapse. Online shopping continues to siphon customers from traditional stores, leaving brick-and-mortar locations struggling to survive. Giants like Amazon are reshaping consumer habits with unmatched convenience.
Iconic department stores aren’t immune to the carnage. Macy’s and Kohl’s have announced widespread closures this year, signaling even legacy brands can’t escape the economic headwinds. These mass shutdowns are a stark reminder of shifting market dynamics.
Major pharmacy chains are also taking heavy hits. Walgreens and CVS have closed dozens of underperforming locations in 2025, while bankrupt Rite Aid has shuttered over 1,000 stores nationwide. This isn’t just a retail story—it’s a healthcare access crisis.
The closure of local pharmacies is creating "serious gaps" in communities. So-called “pharmacy deserts” are emerging, where access to drugstores is scarce or nonexistent. Over 48 million Americans now lack a nearby pharmacy, up from 41.2 million in 2021, according to GoodRx research.
Online competitors like Capsule, Blink Health, and Amazon are adding pressure with convenient delivery options. These digital disruptors are outpacing traditional pharmacies, further eroding foot traffic. It’s a brutal lesson in adaptation—or obsolescence.
“It’s not an overstatement to say pharmacies face unprecedented economic strain,” said Miranda Rochol of Prescryptive Health.
“With shrinking margins and reimbursement rates, many small pharmacies operate at a loss on common prescriptions,” Rochol explained.
“Large chains are restructuring due to reduced revenues, declining visits, and outdated models that no longer meet consumer needs,” she added. This paints a grim picture for an industry once considered recession-proof. What’s clear is that the free market is forcing a painful reckoning, and those who can’t adapt are being left behind.