Fact Check: Are Ames Department Stores Making a Comeback?
The regional chain's website has a shiny new message for former customers.
When Ames Department Stores announced its plans for a 2023 revival, the public was gobsmacked. The regional chain's proposed comeback after its 2002 termination received a lot of skepticism while simultaneously sparking a little fire of hope. Nonetheless, 2023 came and went, and with it so did shoppers' excitement over a potential Ames resurgence. But now, the chain's active social media channels and revamped website have shoppers wondering: Are Ames Department Stores coming back for good?
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Whisperings of an impending comeback first took root when Ames relaunched its website in Dec. 2022, as Best Life previously reported. At the time, the store estimated a return date of "Spring 2023." Despite a parent company rebranding in Jan. 2023, Ames' CEO Michael Molyneux maintained that the store was on track to reopen.
"We are excited to announce that our parent company Cross Moline Ventures will be rebranding to Silver Knight Group," Molyneux shared on Instagram at the time. "As a result, Ames and other subsidiaries of Cross Moline will be transferred over the coming weeks. Please note that this transaction will not impact or change our plans to reopen in Spring 2023."
But as shoppers know, this didn't happen. In June 2023, Ames released yet another statement assuring future customers that a reopening was still on the horizon. "We understand that patience is dwindling, however, we're working hard to bring stores back. We're here to stay," the company said on X.
The company then went silent on social media and refrained from updating its website with announcements…until this year.
On. Jan. 7, 2024, Ames announced on X that "a new date has been confirmed." New storefronts will begin opening their doors in June 2026 "with a total of 35 stores opening through 2026 and 2027," per the statement.
When prompted by a X user to "reveal the truth" about the delay, Ames responded: "The original plans were for Spring 2023, however, certain setbacks had lead to us postponing by a couple of months, due to certain licensing regulations, and planning regulations. We understand how this can be upsetting to most people dreaming for an Ames comeback but it is best for us to postpone to a later date so we can have these issues rectified, and still have time for our contractors to finish things on their end."
Ames has since updated its website to reflect its newly scheduled opening date. "There are currently 25 locations planned to open across the United States by late 2027, with plans to add more locations during 2028," the homepage reads. Additionally, Ames has plans to open seven distribution centers across the country.
As of this reporting, Ames hasn't publicly revealed where these stores and centers will be located. But according to the website, every store will have an Ames Cafe and select locations will offer an in-store pharmacy. Customers will also be able to take advantage of online ordering, home delivery, and a "Click & Collect" program.
It appears only time will tell whether Ames' plans bear fruit this time around.
