The rocky start to 2017 for retailers continued Monday, with another national chain confirming an Akron-area store closure.
The Ann Taylor in Summit Mall will close in late January, said Randy Cook, who works in the marketing department at the mall.
“Ann Taylor is closing, but it’s a natural lease expiration, which means they’re just not renewing [the] lease,” Cook said.
The store doesn’t have a firm closing date yet.
Ann Taylor is a specialty apparel retail chain for women.
It is unknown what will happen to the LOFT in Summit Mall, which is a sister store of Ann Taylor.
Mall management could not be reached Monday afternoon.
Once the store in Summit Mall closes, the closest Ann Taylor stores will be at Beachwood Place in Beachwood and Crocker Park in Westlake, along with a factory store at Aurora Farms Premium Outlets in Aurora.
Ascena Retail Group, the parent company of Lane Bryant and Dressbarn, bought Loft and Ann Taylor in May 2015 for about $2 billion.
A sprinkling of other Ann Taylor and LOFT stores across the country are set to close later this month, including one in Dayton, but the company hasn’t made any announcement about major closures.
The retailer also closed several stores in 2016, including one at SouthPark Mall in Strongsville.
AnnInc.com says the retailer has 242 full-price and 122 outlet stores across the country.
The closure comes at a time when several other big retail chains have announced mass closures. The Limited closed all of its storefronts across the country, including one in Summit Mall and one in Belden Village Mall in Jackson Township.
Macy’s also plans on closing 68 retail stores, cutting more than 10,000 jobs. Sears also announced last week that it would close another 150 stores, including its Chapel Hill Mall location in Akron.
Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216 or tcottom@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @Theresa_Cottom .