The Gap closing at Westfield Annapolis mall
By Shanteé Woodards
swoodards@capgaznews.com |
The Gap at Westfield Annapolis is closing next month (Elisha Sauers. Staff)
The Gap will close its Westfield Annapolis store next month, one of 175 planned closures nationwide.
Store signage showed that the Annapolis location would be having a 50 percent off sale until its last day on Jan. 26. Customers were encouraged to visit the store's location at Harborplace in Baltimore. The Gap Outlet continues to operate at Arundel Mills, making that the chain's remaining store in Anne Arundel County.
Gap representatives could not be reached for comment, but they previously disclosed in financial filings that the company would be closing 175 locations, with 140 closures occurring in fiscal 2015.
In the early 1990s, both the Gap and Banana Republic operated on Market Space, two prime locations in downtown Annapolis. By 2001, parent company Gap Inc. announced both of those stores would be closing at a time when cutbacks were being made nationally.
Bob Burdon, head of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, said that he was sorry to see the chain go.
"The Gap has been a welcome part of our community for a couple of decades now," Burdon said. He added that he didn't think this closure meant anything about the vibrancy of this area. "The Annapolis market is a very active, dynamic retail market. Many of us would've thought that they have a strong base of customers here and a strong basis of support."
In June, Gap representatives announced plans to close 175 specialty stores in North America and a limited number of European stores, with 140 closures occurring in fiscal 2015. Company officials also expected foreign exchange rate fluctuations, such as the depreciation of the Canadian dollar and the Japanese yen, would negatively impact its net sales growth. Aside from closing stores, the company also expected to reduce its headquarter workforce by 250 positions, according to quarterly findings that were released this month Securities and Exchange Commission.
"For fiscal 2015, our top priority is putting new product to market processes in place at Gap brand and Banana Republic that we expect will result in more consistent product acceptance," company representatives wrote in its Form 10-Q . "Further, we expect to continue our investment in digital capabilities and to further enhance our shopping experience for our customers."
Westfield Annapolis Mall
Harborplace