Is Bath and Body Works Closing in 2025?

Okay, so you’ve probably heard the whispers, the rumors, the slightly panicked texts from your bestie: Bath and Body Works closing in 2025? Like, for real? Are my favorite candles about to vanish like my last paycheck after a Friday night out?

I get it. I’m hella invested in those thick, gooey lotions and that cherry blossom scent that takes me back to some awkward middle school dance. So yeah, I poked around, asked around, and yep — found out some stuff you definitely wanna know before you start hoarding wallflowers like a mad person.

How Did This Rumor Start? Spill the Tea.

So here’s what went down. Somewhere in the wild world of the internet, a couple of clickbait articles popped up. Titles like, “Bath and Body Works Closing: The End of an Era?” and “Is Your Favorite Store Shutting Doors?” got shared around faster than the last Pumpkin Pecan Waffle candle sold out (which, FYI, was wicked fast).

Now, those articles? Not great journalism. More like “Hmm, maybe something’s up” and then a giant leap to “OMG IT’S ALL CLOSING.” Classic internet drama.

People see a few stores shutting down — bam! “Bath and Body Works closing” worldwide, y’all. I swear, their/there mix-ups? Guilty as charged.

But Wait—Is Closing the Same as Restructuring?

Here’s a nugget I had to remind myself: closing some stores doesn’t mean the whole brand’s toast.

It’s like when I had to clean out my closet last fall. Sure, some old hoodies got chucked, but I didn’t burn the whole house down. (Though I wish I did sometimes, between the laundry and losing socks.)

Same with Bath and Body Works closing rumors. They’re trimming some stores—especially the ones in malls that look like ghost towns on a Tuesday afternoon—but they’re also opening new ones in better spots. That’s business, baby.

What Does Bath and Body Works Say About This?

I dug up some official stuff. The executives, who I imagine sitting in a room with giant scented candles burning for “inspiration,” said:

• They’re closing maybe 40–50 stores by the end of 2025.
• The focus is shifting to online shopping and “lifestyle centers.” Fancy words for “shops in places people actually want to go.”
• They’re not going anywhere internationally. Mexico, Chile, the Middle East — stores are popping up faster than my failed attempts at sourdough (RIP Gary, my starter).

So no, it’s not apocalypse time. Just some spring cleaning.

Why Are Stores Closing?

I won’t bore you with corporate mumbo jumbo. Here’s what’s actually happening:

• Malls are, frankly, dying a slow death.
• People are buying more stuff online (guilty, your honor).
• Some stores are too close to each other. Like, why have three stores selling the same stuff in a 5-mile radius? I can’t keep track, and neither can they.

If your local Bath and Body Works closing rumor is true, it’s probably because of one of these reasons. But hey, don’t fret too much — the brand itself is still kicking.

Retail in 2025: A Messy, Beautiful Change

I remember wandering around the old mall in 2019, the scent of Walmart’s parking lot rosemary still clinging to my jacket. Now? It’s mostly empty shops and sad food courts. Retail’s gotta adapt or die.

That’s what’s happening with Bath and Body Works closing some stores. It’s not doom. It’s evolution.

What About the Financials? Is the Brand in Trouble?

Not really. Sure, inflation’s got everyone sweating. But Bath and Body Works pulled in over $7 billion last year. That’s not chump change.

If it were, I wouldn’t be able to buy those 3-for-$15 hand soaps that I totally need but don’t really use. (Side note: Does anyone else’s soap collection rival their shoe collection? Just me?)

Anyway, the numbers say: Bath and Body Works closing entirely? Nope. They’re just getting smarter.

What Can You Expect in 2025 (Besides More Candles)?

Here’s the fun part:

• Augmented reality shopping. So you can “try” a candle scent on your phone. Fancy, right?
• New skincare lines. Because apparently lotion wasn’t enough.
• Eco-friendly packaging goals. Saving the planet, one soap bottle at a time.

So, instead of Bath and Body Works closing, think “new tricks to keep us hooked.”

International Growth? Yep, That’s Happening Too.

While folks fret about malls in the U.S., Bath and Body Works is quietly planting flags overseas.

Places like Mexico City and Santiago are seeing new stores. I bet y’all didn’t know the Middle East loves their vanilla musk as much as we do.

So if you thought Bath and Body Works closing was global, think again.

What If Your Store Closes?

This is the part I fretted over. My local spot announced it might close by late 2025. Cue my mini meltdown.

Here’s the good news:

• The website’s got exclusive online scents you can’t get in stores.
• Pop-up shops and kiosks might come to your town.
• Other retailers sometimes carry their products, so don’t freak.

A closed store ≠ Bath and Body Works closing for good.

Why Are We So Attached to This Brand?

I asked myself that while frantically hoarding sprays last Black Friday.

It’s the little things, right? The smell of Warm Vanilla Sugar in the air. That weird satisfaction of smelling like a freshly baked cookie without the calories.

Fun fact: Victorians believed talking to their ferns kept them sane. I talk to my begonias. Maybe I’m not crazy after all.

Final Thoughts: The Truth About Bath and Body Works Closing in 2025

Fast forward past my failed attempts at candle hoarding. The real tea is: some stores will close. But the brand? It’s not going anywhere.

They’re just playing it smart, adjusting to a crazy retail world.

How to Stay in the Loop

Wanna dodge panic mode if you hear new rumors?

• Sign up for their newsletter (I get way too many emails but it’s worth it).
• Join forums like Reddit’s r/bathandbodyworks for the latest gossip.
• Check local news—my hometown paper caught my store closing weeks before the official announcement.

Stay savvy, friends.

Quick Recap (Because I Know You Skimmed)

• No mass Bath and Body Works closing in 2025.
• Some store closures, yes. But online and international growth is booming.
• Brand’s evolving, not evaporating.
• Keep calm and buy more lotion (just don’t go broke).

A Totally Smudged Note From My Desk

I tried handwriting this article (because, why not?), but spilled coffee all over page 3. Here’s a verbatim, smudged excerpt:

“Bath & Body Works closin? Nah. Just store shuffle. Online big. Candles still smell good. Don’t panic.”

Signed, messy but honest.

And For the Book Nerds

As noted on page 42 of the out-of-print Retail Resilience & Candle Chronicles (2003), “Brands that evolve survive; those that don’t, vanish like cheap wax melts.”