Macy’s is closing its large Owasso fulfillment center in Oklahoma this March, ending a project that was once celebrated as a big win for local jobs and the company’s online growth. The shutdown is part of Macy’s wider plan to cut costs, modernize its supply chain, and rely on fewer but more advanced warehouses.
A Once-Promising Facility
The Owasso fulfillment center opened in 2015 after a roughly 170 million dollar investment and was designed to handle online and in-store orders across the central United States. The huge building, around 1.3 million square feet, quickly became one of Macy’s largest hubs, serving both customers who ordered online and physical Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores in several states. Local and state leaders saw the project as proof that Oklahoma could attract major national retailers and large-scale logistics operations.
For several years, the warehouse was a key piece of Macy’s omnichannel strategy, where stores and online operations were meant to work closely together to serve customers. Less than a dozen years later, that same building is being closed, showing how quickly corporate strategies can change as shopping habits shift toward e‑commerce and faster delivery expectations.
Job Losses and Local Impact
The closure puts roughly 2,500 jobs at risk, including about 1,500 full-time employees and many seasonal workers who depended on the center for income. These jobs supported households in Owasso and the greater Tulsa area, making the facility one of the area’s most important private employers. Workers now must decide whether to seek transfers to other Macy’s locations, accept severance pay, or try to find new jobs in a changing labor market.
The shutdown also affects local businesses that served or supplied the warehouse, such as trucking companies, maintenance services, and food vendors. With operations ending on March 28, a 1.3 million-square-foot industrial property will suddenly come back onto the market, and local chambers of commerce worry that the economic hit could spread to retail spending, housing, and other sectors.
Why Macy’s Is Closing the Center
Macy’s is under pressure from online-focused retailers and competitors like Amazon and Walmart, which have invested heavily in fast, automated logistics networks. To respond, Macy’s launched its “Bold New Chapter” plan, which includes closing some stores, reshaping distribution centers, and aiming for about 235 million dollars in annual supply chain savings by 2026. Company leaders say they want a leaner, more efficient network that improves inventory use and boosts sales by speeding up deliveries.
As part of this strategy, Macy’s is phasing out older or less efficient facilities and shifting volume to newer, more advanced sites, such as its fulfillment center in China Grove, North Carolina. The company says its modernized centers are already providing faster and more reliable operations, which reduces the need for large single locations like Owasso if they no longer fit the updated logistics model.
An Uncertain Future for Workers and the Site
Employees had seen warning signs, such as reduced shifts and overtime, before the official announcement on January 8, when Macy’s confirmed the Owasso center would close in late March. Some workers tried to prepare by learning new skills in areas like forklift operation and inventory systems, hoping to transfer internally or move into other logistics jobs. Macy’s has said affected employees may be eligible for transfers, severance packages, and job-search support, but many workers rooted in Oklahoma may find relocation unrealistic.
Local officials and business groups are organizing job fairs, retraining programs, and other support to help laid-off employees and to find a new tenant for the massive building. However, many potential tenants prefer smaller, more flexible warehouse spaces, and possible reuses like advanced manufacturing or data centers bring their own challenges, such as heavy infrastructure needs. As the March 28 shutdown date approaches, the community faces a difficult question: whether the site will quickly find a new life, or remain a reminder of how fast a major employer can come and go in today’s retail economy.
Sources:
Supply Chain Dive, Macy’s to close Oklahoma fulfillment center, January 11, 2026
KJRH 2 News Oklahoma, Macy’s Owasso distribution center closing in March, January 8, 2026
KTUL, MACY’S INC. issues statement regarding closure of location in Owasso, January 8, 2026
KRMG, Macy’s Fulfillment Center to close in Owasso, January 7, 2026
DBBNWA, Macy’s to Shut Tulsa/Owasso Fulfillment Center in Spring 2026, January 12, 2026