The Macy's store at Stratford Square Mall in Bloomingdale is among 68 Macy's stores that will close across the country, Macy's company officials announced Jan. 4.

The 149,000-square-foot Stratford Square Macy's store, which opened in 1981 and employs 87 people, is set to close this year. The Macy's store at Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook is not among those stores that will close.

Macy's stores in Alton and Bloomington also are scheduled to close by the end of the year.

"Our plan to close approximately 100 stores over the next few years is an important part of our strategy to help us right-size our physical footprint as we expand our digital reach," Macy's Chairman and CEO Terry Lundgren said in a news release. "We are closing locations that are unproductive or are no longer robust shopping destinations due to changes in the local retail shopping landscape, as well as monetizing locations with highly valued real estate. These are never easy decisions, and we are committed to treating associates affected by these closings with respect and transparency.”