NEW YORK CITY — Foot Locker will close more than 400 underperforming stores as part of its “Lace Up” plan, which was announced during a recent call with investors. According to Tony Aversa, senior vice president of global store development, the move is part of a strategy to manage portfolio risk by way of strategic closures. The New York City-based shoe retailer currently operates 2,700 stores, which will be reduced to approximately 2,400 by 2026, a number that also reflects the planned addition of stores in new formats. Despite the closures, Foot Locker intends to increase its aggregate brick-and-mortar footprint by roughly 10 percent to 14.5 million square feet by 2026. Foot Locker will also shift to a focus on off-mall stores, with the goal of having off-mall locations comprise more than 50 percent of its real estate portfolio by 2026.
Foot Locker to Close More Than 400 Stores
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