Macy's to close Ohio store

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Macy's Inc. said Wednesday it will close its under-performing department store in downtown Columbus, Ohio, just as the Christmas-shopping season begins.

Macy's will still operate eight other R.H. Macy & Co. and related stores in central Ohio after the November shutdown of its store in the Columbus City Center shopping mall, across from the statehouse, said Macy's of Cincinnati, which was founded in 1929 as Federated Department Stores in Columbus.

"While Macy's remains deeply committed to the Columbus community, the continued decline of customer traffic and business levels at City Center have led us to the decision to close the store this fall," Macy's Midwest Chief Executive Officer William McNamara said in a statement.

"We will be working with the mall's owners to find the most productive long-term use of the Macy's space," he said.

Macy's closed two other area stores this spring, saying those locations also were not performing up to expectations, The Columbus Dispatch reported.