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In the past year, shoppers saw many of their favorite retailers close for good. Bed, Bath & Beyond, Tuesday Morning, Christmas Tree Shops and The Body Shop declared bankruptcy and shut down all of their locations, never to open again. Back in 2002, Ames Department Stores did it as well, shuttering its remaining 327 locations forever... or so everyone thought. Now, 22 years later, the chain is looking to make a comeback.
On their website, Ames has announced plans to open 35 new locations across the country, with the first ones ready for business by June of 2026 and all of them open by late 2027. From there, they plan to open even more in 2028. While details on where the stores will be located hasn't been released, the chain promises the "same great prices, better quality," with Ames Cafes at all locations and pharmacies at some as well. There will also be seven distribution centers opening near the new locations to handle deliveries for orders made from their new website.
As for what products they will sell, that hasn't been revealed, but decades ago they were a destination for clothing, shoes, furniture, jewelry, electronics and toys.
Plans to bring the brand back were originally set for 2023, but due to a shake-up of the board of directors over alleged mismanagement, the timeline was pushed back. Keep an eye on their website, AmesStores.com, for updates.