Teen clothing retailer, Rue21 confirmed that it is going to close about one third of its stores across the country as the company looks forward to focus more on its online business.

The retail company is closing nearly 400 stores, including 16 of its 40 in Michigan.

Though the company is closing 400 stores nationwide, there are more than 700 active stores in 48 states.

The Cranberry, north of Pittsburgh based company, stated that the decision to close the stores is “difficult, but necessary.”

“It’s true – we are closing some stores. It was a difficult but necessary decision. We still have hundreds of locations across the country, and our website rue21.com, open for business,” the company posted on its Facebook page.

The 16 stores closing in Michigan:

-Benton Harbor -- 964 E Napier Ave.

-Brighton -- 9490 Village Place Blvd.

-Cadillac -- 8795 E. 34 Boon Road

-Canton -- 47172 Michigan Ave.

-Chesterfield -- 50697 Waterside Dr.

-Grand Rapids -- 350 84th St.

-Grand Rapids -- 3645 28th St.

-Holland -- 3530 W Shore Dr.

-Kalamazoo -- 5040 West Main St.

-Lansing -- 5330 West Saginaw Hwy.

-Midland -- 6800 Eastman Ave.

-Monroe -- 2121 North Monroe St.

-Okemos -- 1982 W Grand River Ave.

-Rochester Hills -- 1250 S Rochester Road

-West Branch -- 2990 Cook Road

-Westland -- 35585 Warren Road

The company has not confirmed yet, when the stores will close or how many employees will be impacted by the closures. But the company’s website is promoting store closing sales.

Like many brick-and-mortar retailers, Rue21 has been battling declining mall traffic amid strong competition online. The company has become the latest in a string of national retailers that are going to close its stores in coming weeks, including Payless ShoeSource and J.C. Penny, which is going to close 7 stores in Michigan.

Stores closing in Michigan this year

AMandeep