As the retail industry flounders, many stores are still struggling to compete.

In a few particular states, retail chains are suffering even more than others. The result has been huge layoffs and widespread job loss.

Keeping a physical storefront afloat in the current economy can be difficult. Regional and national retail chains have been dropping like flies during the last few years, even before the term “retail apocalypse” was floating around. Several companies can also only blame themselves for failing to change with the times and maintaining poor business practices. For many others, the shopping mall just presented too much of a challenge, while some other retail businesses were just down on their luck. Retail is often a merciless thing, and this is always true when the industry is going through a transitional phase. For example, department stores have taken a particularly hard hit.

The retail apocalypse started around roughly the same time as the 2008 recession. Of course, there were also many department store chains failing before that as well. Most of them were bought out by larger companies. Here are just a few examples:

-E.J. Korvette

-Goldwater

-Jordan Marsh

-Gayfer’s

-Marshall Field’s

-Buffum’s

-Mervyn’s

-Gottschalks