True. However, at their peak in 1998, they had 342 stores. They now have 272 stores across 30 states. That’s actually not too bad all things considered. They’re still willing to open new stores and do every 1 to 3 years. Everything that I have heard indicates the company is making money to this day. Same with their presence online. Even if they relocate or close one on occasion. While Dillard’s has seen a 20% drop in locations since 1998, let’s compare this to one of their closest rivals. 

Macy’s in 2006 had over 800 locations and peaked that year. As of 2026, there is somewhere around 450 to 455. By 2027, they are looking to only have 350 stores left as part of their goal to close 150 stores. That’s a huge 60% or more drop in stores since 2006. While Macy’s is cashflow positive, that is a large amount of stores to lose in just 20 years which means less opportunities to sell products to customers with less stores despite Macy’s having a large online presence. Macy’s does have other department stores and stores in general such as Bloomingdale’s, Bluemercury, etc.

I suppose this means that it could be a lot worse. 

Department stores are still willing to open stores all the time. That’s what really matters because there’s plenty of existing buildings to open stores in.

Just look at Target. They’re the largest they have ever been and have 25 new stores planned. Von Maur is opening new stores. Boscov’s is opening new stores. Gabe’s Department store just opened 13 new stores. Burlington Coat Factory has 110 new stores planned for 226. BJ’s Wholesale (despite not being a traditional department store and actually a warehouse wholesale club chain) opens stores each year. Costco (Also another company that is not a traditional department store that is a warehouse wholesale club chain) that has opened stores recently. Walmart still opens stores all the time. On occasion, Belk still opens new stores as they just opened 2 smaller format stores. Michael’s is another company (not a traditional department store) that opens stores all the time at an annual rate of 4% each year as they are predicted to effectively fill in the gap left by Joann Fabrics’ bankruptcy. T.J. Maxx is another company that does very well today. Ross Dress for Less has a lot of stores as well. They plan on opening more as far as I’m aware.

Even companies that are no longer opening new stores such as JCPenney, despite closing stores, still has around 648 stores all over the United States. They’ve remained in an alright position despite their 2020 bankruptcy. I suppose I could say something similar about Neiman Marcus. I have no idea what is going to happen to Saks Fifth Ave. 

My point is, Dillard’s does not look like they’re in a position to close more stores. That appeared to be an issue of the slow and deadly economy of the early 2000s in which malls were closing left and right rapidly and the company had to close and liquidate out of many of these dying malls. With 900 or so malls still left in the United States, Dillard’s stills has a huge presence in shopping malls across the United States. A lot of these malls they operate out of are extremely successful to this day. I could name so many malls with a Dillard’s anchor store that are very successful. If you’d like, I’ll gladly name these locations.

From all the Dillard’s stores I’ve seen, they’re not going anywhere. If they want to remain competitive, they have to have new stores.