Kohl's to close Cincinnati area E-Commerce Center, 768 jobs lost

Kohl's Corp. plans to permanently close its e-commerce fulfillment center near Cincinnati, impacting 768 employees, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice filed with the state.

The fulfillment center, identified as the Monroe e-Fulfillment Center in Middletown, Butler County, is slated for full closure by Oct. 31, 2025. The majority of layoffs are scheduled for Sept. 12, 2025, with all affected employees, including regular full-time, part-time, and temporary staff, expected to be separated from the company by the end of October.

The notice, dated June 5, 2025, and addressed to Ohio workforce development officials and local government leaders in Butler County and Monroe, states that the closure will be permanent. A small number of employees may remain employed for administrative tasks related to the closure after the main separation date.

Kohl's indicated that all affected employees have been informed of their separation dates and the permanent nature of the closure. The notice also specified that employees are not represented by a union, and no bumping rights exist.

While Kohl's did not immediately issue a new public statement regarding the Ohio closure, the company previously announced real estate changes in January 2025. That announcement detailed the closure of its San Bernardino, California, e-commerce fulfillment center by May 2025 and 27 underperforming retail stores by April.

In the January statement, Kohl's CEO Tom Kingsbury said, "We always take these decisions very seriously. As we continue to build on our long-term growth strategy, it is important that we also take difficult but necessary actions to support the health and future of our business for our customers and our teams." The Middletown closure was not part of the January announcement.

The WARN notice included a list of affected positions, with "Material Handler - E-Fulfillment Center" accounting for the largest number of layoffs at 664. Other roles impacted include various levels of maintenance technicians, warehouse support, human resources specialists, and different supervisory and management positions within the fulfillment center.