Closing Time: 5 Major Retail Chains Closing Doors in Ohio in 2026

From the massive contraction of a Columbus-born brand to the quiet disappearance of pharmacies in Cleveland and Cincinnati, here are the 5 major chains shrinking their footprint in Ohio this year.

1. Big Lots (The Hometown Heartbreak)

This is the biggest—and most painful—story in Ohio retail right now.

• The Situation: The Columbus-based closeout giant has been fighting for survival. After a chaotic end to 2024 involving bankruptcy filings and a collapsed sale, the company is finally moving forward with a slimmer profile.
• The Impact: While a new deal has saved roughly 400 stores, that leaves hundreds of others on the chopping block. Ohio locations—from Toledo to the Dayton suburbs—are currently running "Going Out of Business" sales.
• The Reality: Big Lots wasn't just a store; for many Ohio towns, it was the primary place to buy affordable furniture and pantry staples. Seeing the orange-and-white signs come down is the end of an era.

2. Family Dollar (The Neighborhood Void)

The "dollar store saturation" bubble has officially burst.

• The News: Parent company Dollar Tree is in the middle of closing nearly 1,000 Family Dollar locations to fix profitability issues.
• The Ohio Hit: Ohio has one of the highest concentrations of Family Dollar stores in the nation. The closures are hitting two specific areas hard: urban neighborhoods in Cleveland/Akron (where they serve as grocery lifelines) and rural towns where they are often the only general store.
• The Vibe: Expect to see many of these older, smaller brick buildings sitting empty by summer.

3. Walgreens (The Pharmacy Pullback)

The era of a pharmacy on every corner is over.

• The Trend: Walgreens is executing a massive plan to close 1,200 stores over three years. In 2026, Ohio is seeing a significant wave of these cuts.
• The Strategy: The chain is targeting locations that are too close to each other or are struggling with staffing. Closures have been flagged for the Columbus metro area and Northeast Ohio, specifically targeting stores where a CVS or Rite Aid is across the street.
• The Risk: This is creating "pharmacy deserts" in older suburbs, forcing seniors to drive further to fill prescriptions.

4. Advance Auto Parts (The "DIY" Decline)

A quieter, but massive, shift is happening in the auto world.

• The News: Advance Auto Parts announced a strategic plan to close over 500 locations nationally by mid-2026.
• The Ohio Factor: If you drive down any main drag in Ohio (like Route 42 or Route 20), you’ll notice we have a lot of auto parts stores. The market is oversaturated.
• The Result: Expect to see overlapping locations shutter, particularly in Canton and Youngstown, as the company consolidates its fleet to compete with AutoZone and O'Reilly.

5. CVS Pharmacy (The Target Inside)

It’s not just the standalone stores that are vanishing.

• The News: CVS is wrapping up its 3-year plan to close 900 stores, but the new focus in 2026 is on their "store-within-a-store" model.
• The Shift: CVS is quietly closing pharmacies located inside Target stores in Ohio.
• The Impact: If you are used to grabbing your prescription while buying groceries at the Target in Strongsville or Polaris, check your app. Many of these counters are going dark, transferring scripts to standalone locations miles away.