Walmart Inc. said it would close four of its eight Chicago stores, effective April 16. The pharmacies at these locations will remain open for up to 30 days.
The stores set to close include the following:
- 8431 S. Stewart Ave. in Chatham
- 4720 S. Cottage Grove Ave. in Kenwood
- 2844 N. Broadway St. in Lakeview
- 2551 W. Cermak Rd. in Little Village
In a statement, the company said, “The simplest explanation is that collectively our Chicago stores have not been profitable since we opened the first one nearly 17 years ago – these stores lose tens of millions of dollars a year, and their annual losses nearly doubled in just the last five years.”
The company said it would work with community leaders to find reuse options for the vacant stores and would donate the Walmart Academy training center at the Chatham location to the community.
The Chatham location has been prone to thefts, including 6 televisions stolen from the location shortly after the announcement of the closings.