Forever 21 in Santa Rosa Plaza to close

Proving that 21 is more realistic than forever, fast fashion mall storefront Forever 21 is leaving Santa Rosa Plaza.

The chain first moved into a small storefront in the mall back in 2002 before moving into its current location that formerly housed Mervyn’s in 2010.

Representatives from Forever 21 could not immediately be reached for comment.

Santa Rosa Plaza general manager Danielle Nelson said in a statement that despite Forever 21 leaving, leasing activity remains strong at the mall leading into 2024. She added that it’s too early to speculate on who will move into the space once Forever 21 leaves.

“Forever 21 has been a good tenant at Santa Rosa Plaza for many years,” Nelson said. “We view this as an opportunity to enhance our retail offerings by bringing something new to our center that will continue to serve the needs of our shoppers.”

Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy back in 2019 and has closed at least 200 stores since then. It’s footprint in the downtown location is 42,648 square feet.

The privately held company based in Los Angeles operated about 800 stores globally with more than 500 stores in the U.S.

The low-price fashion chain was once a popular spot for teens and young adults looking for a bargain. But younger shoppers are now drawn to vintage clothing stores and shopping at more eco-friendly thrift and consignment stores.

Though the sole Sonoma County location is leaving, the brand can still be found at the J.C. Penney location at Coddington Mall.

The longtime department store entered an agreement with Forever 21 to house the brand in 100 of its locations back in 2021 in hopes of attracting a new Gen Z audience.

A store employee said the location will be open until January and that all sales would be final. A specific closing date was not given.

You can reach Staff Writer Sara Edwards at 707-521-5487 or sara.edwards@pressdemocrat. com. On Twitter @sedwards380.