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AC Moore will shutter all of its arts-and-crafts stores, it was announced this week.

The New Jersey-based retailer will close its more than 145 stores, which are largely scattered across the East Coast, its parent company Nicole Crafts announced Monday. The larger crafts chain Michaels will take over the leases for as many as 40 of them, the company said.

AC Moore CEO Anthony Piperno linked the shutdowns to the industry’s broader struggles. The department store chains Kohl’s and Macy’s recently reported weak sales numbers amid stiff competition with online retail behemoths, such as Amazon.

“Unfortunately, given the headwinds facing many retailers in today’s environment, it made it very difficult for us to operate and compete on a National level,” Piperno said in a statement.

AC Moore did not give an immediate timeline for the store closings, but Piperno said more details would be announced in the coming weeks. The company also planned to stop accepting online orders as of Monday, he said.

AC Moore’s deal with Michaels will let the arts-and-crafts giant expand its portfolio of more than 1,260 stores in the US and Canada.

Michaels will also take over AC Moore’s lease on an East Coast distribution facility and buy “intellectual property” as part of the transaction, according to a news release.

“This transaction enables us to further expand our presence in strategic markets and serve even more customers both online and in store,” Michaels CEO Mark Cosby said, adding that the company plans to reopen the stores next year.

The move to get out of retail is part of a “broader strategic plan” for Nicole Crafts, the news release says. The company said it has hired the advisory firm Gordon Brothers to help shutter the AC Moore stores.

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