Francesca's closing at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

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Francesca's, a women's clothing and accessories boutique, is closing its location at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Maryland. The closure is part of a nationwide shutdown of all Francesca's stores after the company filed for bankruptcy over five years ago. While the mall is expected to replace Francesca's with higher-end tenants, the closure will impact the store's employees and loyal customers.

Why it matters

The closure of Francesca's at Montgomery Mall reflects broader challenges facing brick-and-mortar retail, especially for smaller specialty chains, as they struggle to compete with e-commerce and changing consumer shopping habits. The loss of Francesca's is also a sign of the evolving retail landscape in the Bethesda area, as the mall seeks to attract higher-end tenants.

The details

Francesca's filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and has been in the process of shutting down all of its stores nationwide. The Bethesda location at Westfield Montgomery Mall is one of the latest to close, with a liquidation sale now underway. While the mall is expected to replace Francesca's with more upscale tenants, the closure will impact the store's employees and loyal customer base that had shopped there for years.

• Francesca's filed for bankruptcy over 5 years ago in 2020.
• The Bethesda location at Westfield Montgomery Mall is now closing with a liquidation sale.