Macy’s at Hilltop Mall will permanently close and 133 employees will be laid off unless some transfer to other stores, Richmond Mayor Tom Butt announced in his e-forum newsletter.
The mayor shared an email sent today from a Macy’s executive announcing the store’s closure. The email, sent to both city and county officials, notes that job eliminations are expected to occur between March 14 and March 27. Macy’s is “shuttering 45 more locations this year, as part of its 3-year closure plan,” according to CNBC.
It’s the latest blow to a mostly vacant Richmond mall that has been declining for years. JC Penney’s also moved out. Walmart remains.
In 2017, developer LBG Real Estate Cos. purchased the property with plans to modernize the shopping center and construct housing, office space and a hotel. Those plans have since changed, with the COVID-19 pandemic cited as a contributing factor. The developer has reportedly rebranded the 78-acre property as the East Bay Science & Technology Center with plans to sell or lease it.
