Old Navy Shutters Chicago Flagship

Old Navy is closing its State Street flagship in Chicago’s Loop, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The closure, effective today (Jan. 24), is a setback for a downtown shopping district that has generally held its own despite rising crime and fewer workers coming into their offices since the pandemic, the newspaper reports.

“We regularly and thoughtfully review our real estate to support the best path forward for our brand and Gap Inc. Our Old Navy State Street location will close end of day on Tuesday, 1/24,” a spokesperson said in an email to the newspaper and other media outlets. However, the spokesperson did not answer any of the Sun-Times’ questions about the specific reasons for closing such a high-profile locale.

Michael Edwards, president and chief executive of the downtown business group Chicago Loop Alliance, told the newspaper he is disappointed with Old Navy’s departure but believes the space will attract a new user. He also said while State Street is evolving beyond a mainly retail focus, it’s still been seeing some new interest from merchants.

Read more at the Chicago Sun-Times.