Key points:
• Fourteen Macy’s locations will close in multiple states.
• “I’ve been shopping here for, it has to be something like, 20 years.” – Catherine Denson, Macy’s shopper
• A store associate told Rough Draft Atlanta the store would close in the spring.
Catherine Denson was shocked when she heard her favorite Macy’s location would soon close.
For decades, Denson, a self-admitted shopaholic, made one of her last visits to the Northlake Mall’s Macy’s on Jan. 12. She, like the thousands of other long-time shoppers of the brand, learned 14 locations would close in 2026 after a company memo was sent to employees earlier this month.
Tucker’s Macy’s is the only Georgia location closing, but other stores are slated for closing in Texas, North Carolina, New York, California, and a number of other states.
“I’ve been shopping here for, it has to be something like, 20 years,” she told Rough Draft Atlanta while holding two large Macy’s shopping bags. “I hated to hear it was closing up.”
A few days after the closing announcement, the retailer promoted a 40 percent-off sale, which attracted a handful of customers on a recent Monday afternoon. The store’s shelves and display areas for clothing, shoes, luggage, and fragrance were scant at that recent visit.
Tucker resident Andrea Bennett shared the story about the store’s closing in a Tucker Facebook group. Though several commented they weren’t surprised, since the store had been a part of a closing plan since 2024, Bennett said the store’s aesthetic and options still seemed viable.
“I bought some Christmas gifts there, and I thought it looked nice,” she said.
Related story:
• Northlake Mall Macy’s store officially closing its doors
Denson said she still sees steady shopper flow on the weekends, but she’s noticed the store is a shell of what it once was.
“I know they’re revamping some of the areas and stuff around here, so I wonder, will it come back once all those places are ready,” she said.
Northlake Mall future
The department store is technically not in Tucker’s city limits, but the development of the store and the entire mall has been a topic of discussion for Tucker residents and officials. City Manager John McHenry confirmed that a plan to develop part of the mall into apartments is “still alive.”
Last year, Attorney Dennis Webb of Smith Gambrell Russell said the Trammell Crow planned to develop a 505-unit apartment complex and retail space that would revitalize the mall. One-bedroom, two-bedroom, and studio apartments would be a part of the plan, with a typical unit at 800 square feet that would rent for about $1,600 to $1,800 per month. Two-bedroom apartments would go for around $2,000 per month.
At a community meeting in September, several residents who live across from the mall at Northlake Condominiums expressed concern about how such a development would affect their property values and negatively impact North Lake.
With the plans still ongoing, District 1 Roger Orlando said he hopes that the Macy’s space could be a part of the redevelopment plan with consideration to nearby neighbors’ concerns.
“I would love to see the site of the Tucker Macy’s Department store blend in with the residential and commercial character of the development planned at and around Northlake Mall,” he said.
As for Denson, her hope is that more shops that reflect the community’s needs might arise. The Ellenwood resident said she will likely visit the Southlake Mall Macy’s more frequently now.
“I’ll miss coming up here, because this way up north just had better options. We all still want amenities in our neighborhoods, but I know people are shopping online more now…I’ll be back before it closes,” she said of her beloved, soon-to-be departed Macy’s.
A Macy’s associate who did not want to be identified said the Northlake Mall location plans to close sometime in March.