Disney said it's closing at least 60 stores in North America, amounting to about 35% of its locations in the region. Moving forward, Disney is placing a larger emphasis on its e-commerce business rather than its brick-and-mortar footprint.
At least three of those stores are in the Tri-State area, according to the Disney Store website.
The three stores set to close on or before March 23 include the following locations:
-Tanger Outlets Riverhead, Riverhead, NY 11901
-Staten Island Mall, Staten Island, NY 10314
-Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold, NJ 07228
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"While consumer behavior has shifted toward online shopping, the global pandemic has changed what consumers expect from a retailer," said Stephanie Young, president of Disney's consumer products, games and publishing unit, in a press release.
Disney said that it's focusing on making its shopDisney platform a more "seamless" and "personalized" experience. That online revamp will be "complemented by greater integration with Disney Parks apps and social media platforms."
Covid-19 has spurred more people to move their shopping habits online. Research firm eMarketer recently said e-commerce sales across the world grew nearly 28% in 2020, surpassing $4 trillion.
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Fans can still buy Mickey merchandise at theme park stores, third-party retailers and Disney shop-in-shops. In 2019, Target opened mini-Disney stores in 25 of its locations.
Disney has about 300 locations worldwide. It had nearly 800 locations globally at its peak in 1999.
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