Here are the five major retail chains shrinking their footprints in Kansas in 2026.
1. Family Dollar
The Headline: A critical blow to rural Kansas towns.
While many chains focus their cuts on cities, Family Dollar’s massive closure plan is hitting Kansas’s smaller communities hard. As part of parent company Dollar Tree’s strategy to close 1,000 stores as leases expire, several Kansas locations have been identified for closure.
- Confirmed Locations: The list of impacted stores includes locations on N. Roosevelt St. in Marion, E. 9th St. in Peabody, and E. 13th St. N. in Wichita.
- The Impact: For towns like Marion and Peabody, Family Dollar often serves as a primary grocery substitute. These closures leave residents in “food deserts,” forcing them to drive significantly further for basic household goods.
2. Big Lots
The Headline: The discount retailer retreats from the suburbs.
Following its bankruptcy restructuring, Big Lots is continuing to trim its portfolio in the Midwest. The chain has flagged multiple locations for closure as it attempts to stabilize its finances, with the Kansas City metro area seeing a reduction in store density.
- Location to Watch: The store on Nieman Road in Shawnee has been identified for closure.
- The Trend: This follows a pattern of the retailer exiting older suburban strip malls to focus on a smaller, more profitable core of stores. Shoppers can expect liquidation sales to clear out furniture and home decor inventory before the doors lock for good.
3. JCPenney
The Headline: Topeka loses a major mall anchor…