GameStop closes Waltham store as chain shrinks despite profit gains
The GameStop store at the corner of Lexington Street and Trapelo Road has closed, one of a dozen locations in Massachusetts to go dark last week as the video game retailer accelerates a nationwide pullback of its brick-and-mortar footprint. The shutdowns come even as GameStop reports higher net income.
GameStop disclosed in regulatory filings that it shut down 590 U.S. stores in its last fiscal year and expects to close a “significant number” more through fiscal 2025, which runs into early 2026. In addition to Waltham, the recent Massachusetts closures included stores in Brookline, Malden, Chestnut Hill, Stoughton, Methuen, Raynham, Lunenburg, North Dartmouth, East Longmeadow and Westfield.
The Waltham store, located at 1019 Trapelo Road, recently listed as closed on GameStop’s website and online mapping services. A “for lease” sign appeared in the window weeks before the announcement, confusing regulars who said the shop still seemed busy, according to posts in a Waltham Reddit forum.
A Reddit poster said they “feel bad for the employees…I will miss driving by in the morning and seeing excited people sitting in chairs outside on some big release day. Hopefully something fun goes in.”
Despite the shrinking store base, GameStop reported net income of about $131 million in its most recent full year, aided by investment income from a large cash reserve built during the “meme stock” trading boom. In a recent filing, the company said it is conducting a “store portfolio optimization review” and closing underperforming locations as more customers buy games digitally and as it leans into online sales and collectibles.
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