TEXAS - The "retail winter" is bigger in Texas. February 2026 brings a significant shakeup to the Lone Star State commercial landscape, ranging from the heartbreaking collapse of a The Woodlands-based furniture giant to the strategic retreat of major national anchors from Corpus Christi to Lubbock.
Here are the four major retail chains shrinking their Texas footprint in February.
1. Conn's HomePlus
The hometown giant says goodbye. The most resonant closure for Texans this month is the final wind-down of Conn's HomePlus. Headquartered in The Woodlands, this furniture and appliance retailer has been a fixture in Texas strip malls for decades. Following its bankruptcy and failed restructuring efforts, the chain is liquidating its remaining portfolio.
- The Impact: This is a statewide event, hitting major clusters in Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
- The Vibe: For many Texans, Conn's was the go-to spot for financing a new TV or sofa. Seeing the "Store Closing" banners on these massive showrooms marks the end of a locally grown era, leaving landlords with cavernous 40,000-square-foot vacancies to fill.
2. Macy's
A coastal anchor goes dark. As part of Macy's "Bold New Chapter" strategy to close 150 underperforming stores by 2026, the department store is pruning its Texas presence. The most notable casualty in this wave is in the Coastal Bend.
- Confirmed Closure: The La Palmera mall location in Corpus Christi is shuttering.
- The Reality: This closure leaves La Palmera without one of its historic anchors (formerly a Foley's). Liquidation sales are in their final weeks, with deep discounts on fixtures and remaining apparel before the doors lock for good later this quarter.
3. Walgreens
Houston and Lubbock see pharmacy consolidation. Walgreens is aggressively right-sizing its fleet by closing 1,200 stores nationwide to improve profitability. Texas, with its sprawling suburban footprint, is seeing several neighborhood corners go dark this February.
- Locations to Watch: Confirmed closures include the store on North Braeswood Boulevard in Houston, the Spencer Highway location in La Porte, and the store on Slide Road in Lubbock.
- The Shift: These closures are forcing residents to transfer prescriptions to nearby competitors like H-E-B or CVS, creating a temporary bottleneck in pharmacy services in these specific neighborhoods.
4. Big Lots
The discount retreat hits the I-35 corridor. Following its bankruptcy fallout, Big Lots is conducting a final "clean sweep" of its most troubled locations in 2026. Texas had more stores on the closure list than almost any other state, and February brings the end of the line for many.
- Affected Areas: The wind-down is hitting stores in San Antonio (South Interstate 35), Austin, Houston (Westheimer Rd), and Fort Worth (Overton Ridge).
- The Deal: "Everything Must Go" sales are entering their final aggressive phase. For bargain hunters, this is the last chance to grab pantry staples and furniture before these locations are vacated.
February 2026 is a month of heavy transition for Texas retail. The loss of Conn's HomePlus is a blow to local pride and the economy, as it removes a major Texas-based player from the board. Simultaneously, Macy's exit from Corpus Christi signals continued trouble for traditional malls. At the same time, Walgreens and Big Lots closures in major metros like Houston and San Antonio highlight a trend of chains pulling back from oversaturated markets. Shoppers across the state—from the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast—will see fewer options and more empty storefronts this month.
