WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A corporate spokesperson with Dillard’s, Incorporated has confirmed the upcoming closure of the Wichita Falls location of the store in Sikes Senter Mall.
Julie Johnson Guymon, Corporate Spokesperson for Dillard’s, confirmed the upcoming closure in an email sent to our newsroom on Thursday, May 12, 2022.
“While I cannot expand on specific reasons, it is not uncommon for us to close locations from time to time as is the case in Wichita Falls,” Guymon said.
Guymon said the 80 associates employed at the Dillard’s in Sikes Senter Mall will have the opportunity to transfer to any of Dillard’s other 279 locations.
No timetable was given on when the closure would occur.
Early Thursday morning, Debra Amyotte, General Manager of Sikes Senter Mall, said they are withholding comment on the closing of Dillard’s at this time out of respect for employees.
Amyotte said they “will more than likely send out a press release once the final decisions have been made.”
Reports of the impending closure of the department store began circulating on social media on Wednesday, May 12, and have only increased in frequency since then.
A source connected to Sikes Senter Mall, who wishes to remain anonymous, told our newsroom Dillard’s would be closing in 90 days.
The source said they confirmed that news through Dillard’s employees, who they said had just left a staff meeting in which they all received the news of the closure.
Dillard’s was one of the original anchor department stores, along with JC Penney and Perkins, when Sikes Senter Mall opened 48 years ago in 1974.
When Perkins closed, Dillard’s moved into the space and opened a second storefront for men’s and juniors clothing.
Dillard’s marks another major department store departing from Sikes Senter. Old Navy relocated to Quail Creek Crossing in February 2022.
The Sikes Senter location of Sears closed in 2015 and was replaced with At Home.
The departure of another major retailer from Sikes Senter Mall would do little to quiet the questions that have come after a recent change in ownership.
However, Amyotte said there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future of the mall under the Kohan Retail Investment Group, despite the hard times malls are currently facing.
“The mall industry is facing challenging times,” Amyotte said. “Kohan has been working diligently to secure five new retailers for our center which will be opening over the next few months.”
No official announcement has come regarding the new stores coming to Sikes Senter Mall at this time.
