SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Two Kohl’s department stores in San Diego County are set to close this weekend, adding to a growing list of vacant storefronts in the area. The closures, part of a larger nationwide trend, reflect the ongoing shift in consumer behavior towards online shopping.
The Kohl’s locations on Balboa Avenue in Clairemont Mesa and El Camino Real in Encinitas will cease operations on Sunday, marking the end of an era for these local retail fixtures. These closures are part of Kohl’s plan to shutter 27 underperforming stores across 15 states, representing less than 3% of its over 1,100 locations.
“Well, it’s a sign of a long-term trend in retailing,” said Alan Gin, economics professor at the University of San Diego. Gin attributes this trend to the rise of e-commerce, stating, “Once Amazon took off and it became convenient to shop online and have the products delivered. That started the trend, and the pandemic accelerated it.”…