Clothing Stores

The 34,143 Clothing retailers in the US generate revenue by selling a variety of apparel and apparel-related products to consumers. Clothing stores sell primarily new clothing, and may specialize in a particular category, such as men, women, children, infants, families, or accessories. Family clothing stores account for 57% of industry sales. Women’s clothing stores are 19%; other specialty stores are 20%, and men’s clothing stores are 4%.

Seasonality of Demand

Most clothing stores experience major seasonal fluctuations during the winter holiday and back-to-school periods.

Trends and Fads Rapidly Change

The clothing industry is in a constant state of change, driven by fashion trends and fads.

Sep 16, 2026 - Mall Rebound Supports Clothing Sales

• A rebound in US malls could directly benefit clothing stores by increasing shopper traffic, supporting full-price sales, and improving opportunities for store expansion, with mall values up 13% over the past year, more than double overall commercial-property gains, according to Green Street data in the Wall Street Journal. Stronger occupancy, tenant sales, and mall reinvestment are especially positive for apparel chains that depend on browsing, fitting rooms, and impulse purchases. Younger consumers are also using malls as shopping and social destinations, which can boost demand for fashion, footwear, and accessories. Better-performing malls may give clothing retailers more productive locations and greater confidence to open or remodel stores. However, stronger rent growth could raise occupancy costs, while weaker malls remain vulnerable, making site selection and sales-per-square-foot performance increasingly important.
• Digital fatigue could benefit US clothing stores by making physical browsing more appealing, especially for categories where shoppers want to see, touch and try on merchandise, according to an August JLL report in Facilities Dive. In JLL’s August 2026 survey, nearly 75% of consumers said they would shop more often in quieter, lower-stimulation stores, while more than 80% said they enjoy discovering products they would not have searched for online. The trend is especially relevant for apparel: 53% of Gen Z said they actively reject online shopping, and 78% of millennials said they would shop more if stores offered quieter spaces. For clothing retailers, the findings support store designs that reduce screen clutter and emphasize product discovery, fitting-room comfort and easy navigation. A better in-store experience could help increase visits, dwell time and impulse purchases.
• Clothing and accessories stores outperformed the broader US retail sector in July 2026, with sales up 0.51% month over month and 6.55% year over year, versus total retail growth of 0.32% monthly and 5.15% annually, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions. Clothing also exceeded core retail’s 4.72% year-over-year gain, suggesting solid discretionary demand, likely helped by midsummer promotions and early back-to-school shopping. Among major categories, clothing ranked behind electronics and appliances (+12.04% YoY), digital products (+12.02%), health and personal care (+10.07%), and general merchandise (+8.3%), but ahead of grocery (+4.52%) and furniture (+2.71%). Building and garden supplies and sporting goods posted declines. Overall, clothing stores are showing relatively healthy momentum within a still value-conscious retail environment.
• Weakening consumer confidence points to a softer outlook for US clothing retailers as households become more cautious about discretionary spending. The University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment fell 7.5% in September to 47.8, down 13.2% year over year. Its Current Economic Conditions Index declined 1.9% to 50.9, down 15.7% annually, while the Consumer Expectations Index dropped 11.1% to 45.8, down 11.4% year over year. Separately, the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index edged down in August to 89.4 from 90.2. Its Present Situation Index rose to 121.2, but the Expectations Index fell to 68.2, signaling greater concern about future jobs, income, and business conditions. Together, the readings suggest greater price sensitivity and softer discretionary retail demand.

Industry size & Structure

The average clothing retailer employs 25 workers and generates $6 million annually.

• The clothing retail industry consists of about 34,143 companies that employ 841,300 workers and generate about $223 billion annually.
• Family clothing stores account for 57% of industry sales. Women's clothing stores are 19%; other specialty stores are 20%, and men's clothing stores are 4%.
• The industry is concentrated at the top, and highly fragmented at the bottom. The top 20 firms account for 50% of industry sales.
• The average independent clothing retailer operates out of a single location, employs fewer than 10 workers, and generates between $300,000 and $900,000 annually.
• The industry includes national chains, regional chains, and independent retailers. Some large apparel manufacturers have retail operations.
• Large companies include TJX Companies (TJ Maxx, Marshalls), The Gap, Victoria's Secret & Co., American Eagle Outfitters, and Ross.