Macy’s and Kohl’s are preparing to shut down Bay Area department stores — and slash jobs — an ominous indicator that some retailers must navigate a forbidding economic landscape in 2025. Kohl’s has posted plans to shut stores in five Bay Area cities while Macy’s has revealed its decision to shut two stores in the nine-county region.

Department store retailer Kohl’s says it will close 27 underperforming stores, including five locations in the Bay Area, and a fulfillment center by April.

Kohl’s said Friday it was closing 27 underperforming stores in 15 states by April _ a fraction of its 1,150 store base _ as the struggling department store aims to boost profitability and improve sagg