7-Eleven plans to shutter stores – What this means for NJ

Sometimes it seems like the retail landscape is ever-changing. One day your favorite store is open for business, then the next day, it's not.

We've seen this trend throughout New Jersey for many years now. Whether a big box retailer, a national chain, or smaller mom-and-pops, you never know when one of your preferred locations is going to disappear.

For some chains, it could be simply due to the fact that they couldn't keep up in a changing world. For example, who remembers Radio Shack? A store once spread all over the Garden State that's no more.

In fact, there are many examples of retailers that used to dominate all throughout New Jersey. Here are a few more that you might remember...

Will 7-Eleven be next?

Remembering the stores of the past makes you wonder about the future of those who are still here. Target, for example, currently dominates the retail landscape when it comes to big-box.

As for convenience stores? Well, that's where 7-Eleven comes in. With such stiff competition from expanding chains like QuikCheck and Wawa, it can be tough for older, more established convenience stores to survive.

In 2023 alone, 7-Eleven shuttered 184 stores in 2023, and are planning to close an additional 272 stores in 2024, according to CBS News. And yes, those numbers may include convenience stores in New Jersey.

As of now, it's still a wait-and-see game as the company hasn't specifically said which stores will be closed in 2024. But with 7-Eleven being so popular in the Garden State, particularly the northern part of the state, let's hope that the impact on The Garden State is minimal.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.