Across the nation, a number of prominent chain stores and restaurants are set to significantly reduce their number of physical locations by the close of 2026. This trend signals a challenging period for some well-known competitors in the retail and restaurant sectors, and while specific local impacts for Bismarck and Mandan have not been detailed, residents may observe fewer options for these brands over the coming months. The closures reflect a shifting landscape for consumer access to these businesses, as some scale back operations while others transition completely away from traditional storefronts.
For some of these major chains, the process of reducing their physical presence began even before the start of 2026. Wendy's, a widely recognized restaurant chain, moved forward with a plan in late 2025 to initiate the closure of hundreds of its establishments. This substantial reduction in restaurant locations is not a short-term effort; the company expects to continue shutting down numerous sites well into 2026. Despite this extensive closure plan, Wendy's is not anticipated to exit the market entirely, maintaining a significant number of operations nationwide.
Similarly, Starbucks, another major chain with a widespread presence, announced its intentions in 2025 to begin strategically closing hundreds of its locations. This strategic move to consolidate its physical footprint continued as planned into 2026. Like Wendy's, Starbucks is not slated to disappear for good from the consumer landscape, but it will operate with a reduced number of stores. The decisions by both Wendy's and Starbucks underscore a broader industry trend of re-evaluating physical store portfolios.
However, other chain businesses are facing more drastic changes, moving towards complete cessation of their brick-and-mortar operations. Value City Furniture made a significant announcement early in 2026, initiating liquidation sales at all its existing locations. This action, declared within the first two weeks of the year, sets the stage for the furniture retailer to completely close every one of its stores by the end of December 2026, indicating a full departure from its physical retail presence.
Another example of a complete exit comes from Scrubs & Beyond. The retailer, which specializes in medical apparel, commenced 2026 with a notable presence of 115 stores operating across 31 different states. Despite this relatively wide reach at the start of the year, Scrubs & Beyond has announced that all of its locations are projected to be permanently closed before December 31, 2026, marking a full discontinuation of its physical retail stores.
The shoe brand Allbirds is also implementing significant changes to its retail strategy, though with a different approach. Allbirds is closing all of its full-price physical stores. This move is part of a deliberate effort by the company to redirect its business focus primarily towards its e-commerce operations. This strategic shift highlights how some brands are increasingly prioritizing online sales channels over maintaining a traditional brick-and-mortar footprint.
These national developments mean that a variety of well-known retail and restaurant entities will operate with fewer locations across the country as 2026 progresses. For residents in Burleigh and Morton counties, while no specific local closures have been identified from these national announcements, the overall reduction in storefronts for these brands means a potential decrease in local access points as these companies execute their plans to consolidate or close operations through the year. The evolving strategies of these chains suggest a future where consumer interactions with certain brands may increasingly occur through digital platforms rather than traditional retail outlets.