MASSACHUSETTS - In Massachusetts, the "Retail Apocalypse" is hitting the State most vulnerable intersections. As 2026 begins, the Bay State is seeing a clear divide. While the Seaport District in Boston booms with high-end dining, the suburban corridors and Gateway Cities are losing their infrastructure. From the South Shore to the Berkshires, the big boxes that anchored the middle class are vanishing.
Here is the breakdown of the retail shakeup hitting Massachusetts in 2026.
The Mall Crisis: Macy's Leaves Kingston
The most significant single-store loss of early 2026 hits the South Shore.
- The Closure: Macy's has confirmed it is closing its location at the Kingston Collection (formerly Independence Mall).
- The Impact: This is a devastating blow to a mall that has spent years trying to reinvent itself as an entertainment hub. Macy's was one of the last traditional tethers for the property. Its exit leaves a massive vacancy, putting immense pressure on the remaining tenants and forcing Plymouth County shoppers to drive north to Braintree or Hanover for department-store goods.
The Discount Wipeout: Big Lots Exits
The slow death of the closeout retailer has reached its endgame in Massachusetts.
- The Status: Following a bankruptcy filing, Big Lots is moving to liquidate its remaining footprint in the state.
- The Hit List: The closure list includes the final holdouts in Danvers, Peabody, West Springfield, and Chicopee.
- The Reality: For decades, Big Lots was a staple among New Englanders seeking discount furniture and pantry oddities. Its total exit removes a key affordable option from the Route 1 and Route 5 corridors, leaving empty shells in strip malls that landlords will struggle to fill.
The "Zombie" Watch: Emerald Square Mall
In North Attleboro, the State most notorious "zombie mall" gets one last shot at life in 2026.
- The Chaos: 2025 was a disaster for Emerald Square, featuring ceiling leaks that forced temporary closures and a bizarre incident involving escaped bulls from a parking lot rodeo.
- The New Era: Entering 2026, the mall is under new ownership (Summit Properties USA). This year is viewed as the "make or break" moment; if the new owners cannot secure tenants to replace the gaping holes left by Sears and Macy's, the mall risks becoming a permanent blight on the Rhode Island border.
The Grocery Void: Stop & Shop's Aftermath
While not a new announcement today, 2026 will be defined by the massive Stop & Shop contraction that hit late last year.
- The "Desert" Effect: Residents in Brockton (N. Montello St), Worcester (Lincoln St), and Springfield (Cooley St) are starting 2026 with fewer food options.
- The Consequences: The closure of these specific "underperforming" stores has created localized food deserts. In Brockton, the loss of the Montello Street store has forced reliance on more expensive bodegas or longer transit trips, a pain point that is only becoming more acute as winter sets in.
The Restaurant Recession: Chains & Locals
2026 is proving to be brutal for dining chains with a heavy presence in Massachusetts.
- The Chains: Bertucci's and Papa Gino's continue to shrink their footprints, with "quiet closures" of underperforming units in the suburbs.
- The Local Hit: On the Cape, the closure of The Naked Oyster in Hyannis signals that even beloved local institutions are struggling with the trifecta of rising labor costs, rent, and the seasonality of the tourist economy.
The wealth of Boston is insulating the city's core, but the "Gateway Cities" and suburban malls are taking a beating. The discount furniture stores are gone, the neighborhood grocery options are thinning, and the malls that defined the 90s are fighting for survival.
