The strategy of department stores and major brands in the face of the arrival of fast fashion in the 2000s was to open outlets, i.e. stores where the discount is permanent, because what is sold is the stock from other years. El Corte Inglés opened its outlets all over Madrid and continued to expand throughout Spain, until 2023, when the outlets began to close. The first outlet to cease its activity was the one in Rivas Vaciamadrid, but that was only the beginning.
The latest closures of El Corte Inglés have been of two outlets that had been in operation for more than a decade. The Boadilla del Monte opportunity center, which mainly sold fashion, and until the opening of the one in Arapiles had many luxury brands, has been closed for almost two months. At first they did not clarify whether it was due to works or definitive closure, but it has now been confirmed that it will not reopen as an outlet, as it has disappeared from its directory of opportunity centers.
Another store that has gone through a similar process in recent months is Vista Alegre, in Carabanchel, which closed on February 9. In both cases, the adjoining Hipercor and Supercor remain open, but given the opacity of the company it is not known what their future will be.
El Corte Inglés changes its strategy
Despite the closure of these outlets, there are still 6 open in the Community of Madrid, with the Arapiles outlet being the most attractive because this is where the discounts of the most expensive brands of El Corte Inglés are concentrated.
On the other hand, the company is refurbishing some of its best-known and most popular centers in Madrid, such as Castellana, San José de Valderas and Preciados.
Other major closures of El Corte Inglés
The reality is that in recent years the closure of some of its large stores has multiplied. In January 2024, the Méndez Álvaro center, which had been open since 1992, ceased operations, in this case due to a court ruling requiring the demolition of part of the gigantic building. In previous years, La Vaguada, Parquesur and Serrano, 52 -where WOW Concept opened- were also added to the list.