An Iconic Department Store Location Is Closing Its Doors For Good And Shoppers Can't Believe It

It feels like every week brings a new retail or restaurant chain closure. Between an east coast burger chain closing to one of the country's most popular convenience stores announcing the closures of over 400 stores, consumers might feel overwhelmed. Now, a closure joins the list. Macy's store at Sunrise Mall in Massapequa, New York, closed its doors on April 11, 2025 – ending a 52-year chapter as a long-standing feature of Long Island's retail.

Opening in 1973, alongside Sunrise Mall's debut, this Macy's location became one of four original anchor tenants of the Sunrise mall, positioning Macy's as a hub for fashion, home goods, and community gatherings. The store's annual events, like holiday sales and seasonal flower display shows, drew generations of shoppers, blending commerce with local tradition.

In January 2025, Macy's announced it would be closing 66 underperforming stores as a response to declining mall foot traffic nationwide since the pandemic. However, the closure of the Massapequa store came as a shock to many, as it was more than just a store; it was a community landmark. This move also leaved consumers wondering what's next for Sunrise Mall. 

Macy's closed its Sunrise Mall store as part of its "Bold New Chapter" strategy. This plan aims to shut down about 150 stores by 2026 in order to focus on locations that are more profitable. This move reflects broader challenges in the retail sector, in which many companies are adjusting to changing consumer shopping trends by streamlining their physical presence and enhancing their digital offerings. During a March Shoptalk discussion, as reported by Retail Dive, Macy's CEO Tony Spring cited evolving consumer habits, and the need to streamline operations as key drivers. He also noted that the 150 stores being closed made up 25% of the brand's square footage but only represented less than 10% of its total sales. 

The Sunrise Mall store, specifically, has encountered increasing difficulties, especially after other mall anchors like JCPenney and Sears shut down, diminishing the mall's appeal and dropping the mall's tenant vacancy to just 50% in 2022, according to Long Island Business News. With Macy's departure, Dick's Sporting Goods remains the mall's sole anchor tenant. This situation has placed pressure on the mall's owner, Urban Edge Properties, to find new tenants or repurpose the space, although no specific redevelopment plans have been made public yet.

The closure of Macy's at Sunrise Mall leaves 77 employees without jobs, compounding economic strain in Massapequa. Plus, two other Long Island Macy's stores are set to close by the end of the year, further adding to the retail loss happening in the region. Staff, though anticipating the closure after years of steady decline, still expressed frustration over its abrupt timing, while local consumers were left mourning the loss of yet another anchor for their once great mall.

While Macy's departure from Massapequa marks the end of an era for many, it also opens avenues for reimagining how vacant spaces can serve evolving consumer needs — potentially even fostering a more resilient, diversified local economy. Similarly, retailers must increasingly balance digital efficiency with localized experiences — think e-commerce showrooms or community workshops — to retain relevance. All of this is to say, even though the more traditional Macy's anchor store is gone, it doesn't mean the retailer will be entirely absent from the area.