Despite seeing higher year-over-year sales, Zumiez has announced it will close additional store locations in 2026. The clothing, skateboard and apparel chain targeting teens and young adults released its fourth-quarter and full-year earning report earlier this month. The Lynnwood, Washington-based company said sales increased 4.5 percent in 2025. Zumiez shuttered 17 stores last year, and CEO Richard Brooks told investors the company plans to close another 25 locations in 2026, 20 of them in the United States. The closures aren’t a reflection of slowing demand, but rather a strategic shift away from underperforming shopping malls, according to Brooks.
Total Retail's Take: Zumiez is making the strategic decision to exit underperforming mall-based locations, saving money in the process. The retailer is bullish on its 2026 outlook, forecasting low single-digit total sales growth. Zumiez is aligning its business with shifting consumer patterns, investing in omnichannel operations and prioritizing higher-performing store locations. The focus, as it should be, is not necessarily on the scale of its physical footprint but rather on optimizing the retailer's best-performing locations for future success. According to Brooks, lower-end C- and D-volume mall locations are no longer worth the investment for Zumiez.
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Joe Keenan is the editor-in-chief of Total Retail. Joe has nearly 20 years experience covering the retail industry, and enjoys profiling innovative companies and people in the space.





