Macy's To Cut 5,000 Jobs As More Store Closures Announced

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Macy's is set to cut about 5,000 jobs as it moves forward with announced store closures in the Southland and across the nation.

The retailer's locations at Westside Pavilion in Los Angeles and the Laguna Hills Mall will be closed as previously announced, along with seven more closures in five more states, according to USA Today.

Initially announced last year, the closures are part of an overall plan to close 100 locations, 81 of which have now been identified.

Despite a slight uptick in holiday sales this year, Macy's is planning on rolling out liquidation sales at several locations likely starting Jan. 8. Store closures are expected in mid to late March.

"Our primary focus in 2017 has been to continue the strong growth of digital and mobile, stabilize our brick & mortar business and set the foundation for future growth. We've made good progress on each, including encouraging trend improvements in our brick & mortar business. A healthy store base combined with robust digital capabilities is Macy's recipe for success," said Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette. "Looking ahead to 2018, we are focused on continuous improvement and will take the necessary steps to move faster, execute more effectively and allocate resources to invest in growth."

Macy's digital sales also jumped by double digits, but still lags far behind such online giants like Amazon.