Dollar General plans most U.S. store openings in 2026, Coresight says

Coresight Research projects roughly 5,500 new U.S. store openings in 2026 and about 7,900 closures, a shift that would mark a modest rebound for brick-and-mortar retail. Openings are forecast to rise about 4.4% year over year while closures are expected to fall roughly 4.5% year over year, representing the lowest number of closures in three years.

Dollar General is positioned to be one of the biggest drivers of expansion next year. The company plans to open 450 new U.S. stores in 2026, down from a planned 575 openings in 2025, and will also relocate 20 stores and remodel about 4,250 others. Dollar General has identified roughly 11,000 potential future sites across the continental United States and previously flagged close to 100 planned closures announced in March. On its Dec. 4 earnings call, Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos told analysts, "there's no need to race to fill the vacant retail space left by competitors."

Value-focused chains such as Dollar General, Aldi and Tractor Supply are leading the openings, reflecting continued consumer demand for lower-price retail options. Other retailers with confirmed expansion plans include Kroger, which expects to break ground on 14 new stores in 2026, and Nordstrom Rack, which plans 13 openings. Retailers' compiled lists of major openings for the year already top hundreds of stores, though full-year totals in the market are driven by the Coresight projection.

Closures remain concentrated at several chains even as overall shutdowns ease. Coresight identifies GameStop, Francesca's and Walgreens among the retailers with the most planned closures in 2026. Specific company announcements show varying scales: Orvis plans to close 31 stores by early 2026, REI plans three closures and said, "as markets and customer needs evolve, we must adapt to position the co-op for long-term success," and Carter’s said it will close 150 stores over the next three years, with around 100 of those expected to be shuttered by 2026. Kroger confirmed plans to close 60 locations over the next 18 months, saying the moves would yield a "modest financial benefit." Foot Locker has said it will close some "underperforming" stores.

Coresight head of global research John Mercer warned that the outlook is a gradual improvement rather than a sharp turnaround, saying he expects "some closely watched economic factors, such as high inflation and the slow housing market, to gradually ease in the coming year" and that retailers' real estate plans reflect "an incremental improvement over 2025 but not a major inflection point." Real estate firms are also watching the market; Naveen Jaggi of JLL noted, "As demand for retail space rises and supply falls, developers could see opportunity to build new strip malls."

For workers, the mix of openings, relocations and large-scale remodels means hiring and scheduling shifts concentrated in hourly and store management roles at value retailers and grocers. Remodel programs typically create roles for temporary crews and supervisory staff, while relocations and new builds drive long-term store-level hiring and changes to district staffing. Store closures will continue to create churn for affected employees, with some chains cutting dozens of locations and others trimming underperforming stores.

The 2026 outlook points to a retail real estate market in recovery mode but not runaway expansion. For store teams and district managers, the year ahead will likely bring a combination of hiring opportunities at expanding value chains and continued disruption where chains pare footprints or retool portfolios.