Stage Stores has laid off corporate staffers this week, Retail Dive reported. The exact number of employees let go is unclear, as the company did not announce the total layoffs to staff, but two sources said the number was more than 20, and potentially dozens. Many of those let go were allocators and buyers in the retailer's merchandising operations. This week's layoffs follow others from last week. The department store chain, which is undergoing a rapid transformation to off-price via its Gordmans banner, is also planning to shutter stores. The company sent an email Monday marking 60 existing Gordmans stores for closure as well as 10 department stores that were slated to become Gordmans stores. Those are on top of 40 stores the company marked for closure last fall. Stage Stores has staked its future on Gordmans. In the fall, the company announced accelerated plans to convert its entire store fleet to the Gordmans banner, which would have given it around 700 by the end of the year. (That figure does not account for the recently planned closures, which have not been announced publicly.)
