According to Adam Snyder of the popular YouTube channel Snyder Reports, more than 18,000 retail stores are expected to shut their doors across the United States in 2025. This would mark the largest number of closures in a single year – surpassing even the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2008 financial crisis. Snyder emphasized that this trend is already underway and will likely leave entire communities without access to essential brick-and-mortar businesses.
Familiar Names Are Disappearing
Snyder listed a staggering range of major retailers already planning to close multiple locations. For example, CVS will shut down over 900 stores, while Walgreens will eliminate at least 150. Rite Aid isn’t far behind, with plans to close more than 1,000 of its stores, including 123 locations in the near term. Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Joann Fabrics are also among those reducing their retail footprint.
Other recognizable names on Snyder’s list include Best Buy, Walmart, TJ Maxx, JC Penney, Foot Locker, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Kroger, and even Amazon Fresh. Some stores are closing dozens of locations, while others are pulling out of entire regions. These closures are not just numbers – they represent thousands of jobs, empty storefronts, and big changes to the way people shop.
Millennials Watching Childhood Favorites Vanish
In a personal moment during his report, Snyder, who turned 36 the day he filmed the video, shared the emotional weight of watching once-vibrant stores go dark. He visited the downtown Brooklyn Macy’s, a place filled with childhood memories, only to find it completely empty – “like a scene from an apocalypse movie,” he said. The emptiness struck him not just as a shopper, but as someone who grew up in a time when malls were social centers, not relics.
Snyder’s commentary reflects a generational mourning for physical spaces that once brought people together. “We shopped at the mall, met at the food court, and hung out in person,” he said. “That’s disappearing fast.”
Macy’s, Kohl’s, and the Death of the Department Store
Macy’s isn’t the only legacy store in trouble. According to Snyder, Kohl’s is also shuttering locations across the country, citing poor performance and ongoing restructuring. Both brands were once seen as the backbone of American department store retail. Now, they’re viewed as outdated business models struggling to keep up with changing consumer habits and the shift toward online shopping.
Snyder noted that many companies are pushing their store closures into 2026, hoping for one last successful fourth quarter. They’re betting that interest rates will drop, consumer spending will rise, and profitability will return. But that hope may be misplaced.
E-Commerce Is Accelerating the Collapse
As Snyder explains, the core reason for the collapse of retail is consumer behavior. Americans have changed the way they shop. Most purchases, from groceries to medicine, now happen online. “Over the past year,” Snyder admitted, “I’ve probably gone to the grocery store less than five times. We get everything delivered.”
This isn’t just a convenience trend – it’s reshaping the entire retail ecosystem. When foot traffic disappears, physical stores can’t stay open. When those stores close, nearby businesses lose their lifeline. It’s a domino effect that’s now speeding up.
Price Matching Is Going Away, Too
Even big box stores that are trying to compete are removing the few incentives they had left. Snyder pointed out that Target is ending its Amazon price matching policy, effective as soon as July 29. From now on, it will only match Target.com prices. Walmart already made the same decision. Without price matching, shoppers have one more reason to stay online where the better deal often lives.
This shift might seem small, but it signals a larger retreat from competitive pricing. In the age of Amazon, if physical stores can’t match online prices, or offer a better experience, they simply can’t win.
Pharmacy Chains Hit Especially Hard
The closure of thousands of pharmacy locations might be the most alarming part of Snyder’s report. For many communities, especially low-income or rural areas, a CVS or Walgreens is the only nearby healthcare provider. Losing these stores means longer travel times for prescriptions, fewer vaccine appointments, and less access to basic over-the-counter medicine.
Snyder stressed that the closures aren’t just about profits – they’re also about theft and safety concerns. He noted that “a lot of people have been stealing from pharmacies” out of desperation. As crime and financial pressure rise, stores are simply shutting down instead of dealing with the risk.
E-Pharmacies Are Picking Up the Slack
But Snyder also offered a glimpse at the future. Companies like Hims and Amazon Pharmacy are filling the gaps by shipping medications directly to customers – often at a steep discount. “It shows up at your doorstep,” Snyder explained, “and a lot of times it’s less than half price.”
While this may seem convenient, it raises questions about who’s left out. Not everyone has stable internet, a credit card, or a safe delivery address. For the digitally connected, the transition may be smooth. For others, it could be a healthcare crisis.
The Future of Malls Looks Bleak
One of Snyder’s most compelling insights was about the cultural decline of the American mall. Once bustling with teens, families, and weekend crowds, malls now feel more like ghost towns. Snyder’s description of the Brooklyn Macy’s echoed this: “It felt airy… like I was in a movie looking for food and shelter.”
That image captures something deeper – the loss of shared public spaces where people used to gather, not just to buy things, but to be around each other. Retail is fading, but so is a chunk of American social life.
A Slow-Motion Retail Collapse
Snyder warned that this isn’t just a temporary dip – it’s part of a larger, long-term decline. While some retailers hope to hang on through 2025, the outlook for 2026 is grim. If consumer habits don’t swing back, the number of closures could grow even more.
He emphasized that the 18,000 store closures in 2025 will likely mark the peak of the trend, but not the end. If interest rates stay high and inflation eats into discretionary spending, we could see even more businesses fold.
What This Says About American Life
This story isn’t just about retail. It’s about how America is changing, fast and without much warning. We’re trading convenience for community, low prices for local presence, and e-commerce for economic diversity.
It’s fascinating, and a little bit terrifying, how quickly everything has shifted. What used to be permanent now feels temporary. Legacy brands like Macy’s and Kohl’s are crumbling, while Amazon eats everything in its path. The real question isn’t just which store will close next – but what kind of society we’re building in their absence.
Keep Watching the Trend
Adam Snyder’s detailed report offers a chilling but necessary look at the retail apocalypse heading our way in 2025. With more than 18,000 stores projected to vanish, this is not just a business story – it’s a community issue, an employment crisis, and a culture shift all rolled into one.
As Snyder emphasized, the trend isn’t likely to reverse unless something dramatic changes in the economy or in consumer behavior. Until then, expect more lights to go out on Main Street.
Raised in a small Arizona town, Kevin grew up surrounded by rugged desert landscapes and a family of hunters. His background in competitive shooting and firearms training has made him an authority on self-defense and gun safety. A certified firearms instructor, Kevin teaches others how to properly handle and maintain their weapons, whether for hunting, home defense, or survival situations. His writing focuses on responsible gun ownership, marksmanship, and the role of firearms in personal preparedness.
