There was a time when locals would celebrate the opening of a big-box store in their community. Whether it was Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club or Best Buy, shoppers craved the wide selection of items, bulk savings or simply something new.
That was before online shopping took its toll on retail. Then came the pandemic, supply chain issues and inflation. Today, many national retailers are fighting for survival.
The Container Store is no exception. The Texas-based company, which specializes in home organization products, filed for bankruptcy in December 2024, citing mounting debt, increased competition and declining sales. At that time, it had 102 stores in 34 states.
After emerging from Chapter 11 in January 2025, it began cutting costs and slashed 2% of its workforce. Its footprint of stores stayed largely intact. Only two closed.
Now, The Container Store has announced it will shutter two locations in Ventura County.
Retail workers earn less than half of what they need to afford rent
The Thousand Oaks store at 33 N. Moorpark Road will close in January, and the Oxnard location at 450 Town Center Drive will close the following month. Shoppers are getting the news via signs posted on store windows.
These closures leave 13 remaining Container Store locations in California and six in Southern California. The SoCal locations are in Century City, Costa Mesa, El Segundo, Pasadena, San Diego and Woodland Hills.
Other major retailers planning to shutter stores in 2026 include Macy’s, Carter’s and Francesca’s, a women’s clothing and apparel chain.
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