TEXAS - In Texas, everything is bigger—including the bankruptcies. For years, the "Texas Miracle" economy seemed immune to the retail apocalypse plaguing the Rust Belt and the Coasts. But in 2026, the immunity has worn off. The collapse of a legendary local giant, combined with a national retreat from "B-list" malls, has created a stark divide in the Lone Star State: the luxury centers are booming, but the neighborhood hubs are going dark.Here is the breakdown of the retail shakeup hitting Texas in 2026.
The Hometown Heartbreak: Conn’s HomePlus
The most painful story of 2026 is the fall of Conn’s HomePlus. Headquartered in The Woodlands, the electronics and furniture giant filed for Chapter 11, triggering a liquidation that is hitting Texas harder than anywhere else.
- The Impact: Dozens of locations—from Beaumont to El Paso—are shuttering.
- The Consequence: Conn’s wasn't just a store; for many working-class Texans, it was the primary source for financing appliances and furniture. Its collapse leaves massive, hard-to-fill vacancies in strip malls and removes a credit lifeline for thousands of families.
The Macy's Retreat: DFW Takes the Hit
Macy's "Bold New Chapter" strategy (closing 150 stores by 2026) has targeted the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex with surprising aggression.
- The Closures: The retailer has confirmed exits from The Shops at Willow Bend (Plano), Southlake Town Square, and Highlands of Flower Mound.
- The "Willow Bend" Crisis: The loss of Macy's at Willow Bend is a critical blow. Once a premier destination, the mall is now fighting to avoid "dead mall" status as it struggles to reinvent itself against the dominance of Legacy West just down the road.
The "Tale of Two Malls": Houston vs. San Antonio
2026 highlights the widening gap between the "Haves" and "Have Nots" of Texas retail.
- The Loser (Houston): Almeda Mall is facing an existential threat. With Macy's confirmed to close its location here, the south Houston staple loses its last major draw, leaving the remaining smaller tenants in a precarious position.
- The Winner (San Antonio): Meanwhile, The Shops at La Cantera are booming. In 2026, they are adding luxury tenants like Arhaus and Crate & Barrel, proving that high-end, open-air centers are cannibalizing the traditional indoor malls.
The Pharmacy Wipeout: Dallas
While Rite Aid’s collapse was a national story, Walgreens is the one causing pain in North Texas.
- The Strategy: Walgreens is closing 1,200 stores nationwide, but in Texas, they are specifically targeting "underperforming" urban locations.
- The Result: Southern Dallas and Oak Cliff have lost multiple locations in the 2026 cut. This has created "pharmacy deserts" where residents—many of whom rely on public transit—now face significant hurdles just to fill a prescription that used to be a walk away.
The Rural Squeeze: Family Dollar
In West Texas and the Panhandle—towns like Spur and Pecos—the closure of Family Dollar stores is a food security issue.
-
The "Grocery" Gap: In these communities, the Family Dollar often doubled as the only local grocery source. As parent company Dollar Tree executes its closure of 1,000 stores, rural Texans are being forced to drive 30+ miles to the nearest Walmart for basic staples.
If you shop at NorthPark Center (Dallas) or The Galleria (Houston), the shelves are full and the crowds are huge. But for the rest of the state—especially the communities relying on Conn's, Almeda Mall, or a rural Family Dollar—the landscape is emptying out, leaving behind a series of "For Lease" signs that are getting harder and harder to take down.
