The Boise Factory Outlet Mall, a shopping place that has been part of the community for almost 30 years, will close its last store on January 28. For decades, this outlet mall was a favorite for customers because of its popular brands like Levi’s, Eddie Bauer, and McDonald’s. However, with the passage of time, many stores closed, and now the mall will be demolished to become a new truck dealership.
This closure is part of a larger trend affecting retail across the United States. Thousands of brick-and-mortar stores are shutting down as consumer habits change and online shopping grows. So, let’s learn more about this outlet mall.
Why is the Boise Factory Outlet Mall closing?
This outlet mall has been dealing with empty stores for the last couple of years. Even though it opened in 1994 with so much excitement, many stores disappeared and some spaces became businesses like daycares. Eddie Bauer, a long-time tenant, has been the last store remaining and it is also closing its doors soon.
The construction company Engineered Structures Inc. has obtained permission to demolish the five retail buildings and landscaping that make up the outlet mall. After the demolition, people will see a Kenworth truck dealership there. This will also free up land for future development near Idaho IceWorld, an indoor ice rink that will remain open next to the new dealership.
The location of the mall, south of Boise, was a perfect spot for retailing at the moment. However, as time went by, changing shopping habits, economic challenges, and multiple ownership changes since 2015 led to its decline.
National trend
What’s happening to the Boise mall is part of a bigger picture in the U.S. Many stores closed in 2025, and experts predict more closures in 2026. Let’s see a bit of the situation:
- Around 15,000 stores closed in 2025 alone.
- Major department stores like Macy’s, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Nordstrom, and Saks Off 5th are shutting down underperforming locations.
- Specialty stores such as Joann, Party City, and Claire’s also closed hundreds of locations.
- Grocery and home goods chains like Kroger, Big Lots, Dollar General, and Family Dollar were affected.
- Electronics and entertainment stores like GameStop, Best Buy, and Regal Cinemas also saw closures.
Some stores are permanently closing, while others reduce their size to adapt to online shopping and customers’ changing habits. This trend is called ‘’retail apocalypse’’ and started in the decade of 2010, accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shocking closures of 2025
Several popular brands closed hundreds of stores last year. Let’s see some examples:
- Joann Fabrics: closed 800 stores after filing for bankruptcy.
- Claire’s: shut down 235 stores.
- Forever 21: closed about 354 stores.
- Macy’s: planned to close 150 stores by 2026.
- Party City: all U.S. stores are now closed.
- GameStop: closed over 400 stores in January alone.
- CVS and Walgreens: hundreds of stores closed as part of restructuring.
- Carter’s: multiple stores closed, with plans for more by 2028.
Experts predict that 45,000 stores in the U.S. could close in the next five years. The most affected sectors are clothing, electronics, sporting goods, hobby, book, music, and home furnishing stores.
What this means for outlet malls
The Boise Factory Outlet Mall is a clear example of how outlet malls are struggling. Although they were crowded in the past, empty storefronts and declining sales made it unsustainable. With the popularity of online shopping, traditional outlet malls must adapt or close.
At the same time, some important retailers like Walmart, Costco, Home Depot and Target are expected to thrive, showing that while some stores fail, others adapt successfully.
So, who knows? The next outlet mall or shopping experience might be just around the corner, ready to surprise you.