Jan. 2--Retailers are already starting to topple in North Texas.

Linens 'n Things, KB Toys and some Steve & Barry's have closed their doors in North Texas as the grimmest retail season on record comes to a close.

More closings are on the way for 2009, with a number of retailers already in bankruptcy court or headed there. Many retailers are closing stores, including electronics giant Circuit City. Mervyn's and Whitehall Jewelers are going out of business.

Apparel stores led the way in store closings in 2008 and that will likely continue in 2009, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. The council projected that about 148,000 retail establishments would close in 2008. In the first half of 2009, the organization predicts about 73,000 store closings.

Several big-name stores are being watched closely as the new year begins. The New York-based financial-news Web site 247wallst.com has released its list of 10 companies that it says could file for bankruptcy protection in 2009, resulting in store closures or liquidations: Bon-Ton Stores, Dillard's, Talbots, Pier 1 Imports, Cost Plus, Williams-Sonoma, Chico's, Saks, Eddie Bauer and Rite Aid.

Ian Pierce, a retail analyst with The Weitzman Group, a real estate brokerage in Dallas, said he is eager to hear which stores will be closed. He said he's hopeful there won't be many in North Texas.

"We're thinking that with the job growth and population growth here, we will see closings, but we won't bear the brunt of it," Pierce said.

How bad it was

Holiday sales probably decreased 2.3 percent and traffic dropped 16 percent during November and December, ShopperTrak RCT Corp. estimated Wednesday. Those figures would be the worst since the research firm started tracking the data in 2003.

Many consumers retrenched, and those who sought out last-minute holiday gifts looked for the steepest bargains.

Traffic fell 4.9 percent in the week ended Dec. 27 from a year earlier, Chicago-based ShopperTrak said in a statement.

This report includes material from Bloomberg News.

ON THE WATCH LIST: These retailers have announced store closings. It's not known yet how many North Texas locations will be affected overall.

Ann Taylor

Lane Bryant

Cache

Fashion Bug

Catherines

Pacific Sunwear

Talbots

Gap

Foot Locker

Zales

Macy's

Pep Boys

Sprint Nextel

J.C. Penney

Lowe's

Office Depot

Ethan Allen Interiors

Sharper Image

Disney

Wilsons Leather

Starbucks

Source: Star-Telegram research

SANDRA BAKER, 817-390-7727

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