Is Yankee Candle leaving NJ? What we know about the looming store cuts

Just last week on the show, Judi and I were talking about Yankee Candle. The whole debate was real tree vs. artificial tree. One of the big perks of a real tree is that classic Christmas tree smell. I said if you go the artificial route but still want the scent, just grab a Yankee Candle. Our listeners jumped in with their favorites: Balsam & Cedar, Silver Sage & Pine, and Tree Farm Festival.

Yankee Candle restructuring sparks concern in New Jersey

But then this morning I learned that Newell Brands—Yankee Candle’s parent company—announced a new restructuring plan last week, and naturally people started asking: Are the Yankee Candle stores in New Jersey about to disappear?

Short answer: probably not. A few U.S. stores will close, but it doesn’t look like a mass shutdown is coming. Still, New Jersey shoppers understandably want to keep an eye on things.

What Newell Brands’ plan actually means for Yankee Candle stores

Here’s what we know: Newell Brands is rolling out a global “productivity plan” that includes cutting about 900 corporate and clerical jobs and closing around 20 Yankee Candle stores across the U.S. and Canada. These closures are scheduled for January 2026 and account for only about 1% of total sales—so the company sees this as a minor, strategic trim, not a sign the brand is fading away.

The plan leans on automation, AI, and general streamlining to help the company run more efficiently and shift resources toward innovation and growth. In plain English: they’re trying to operate leaner so they can keep investing in the brands people actually love—like your favorite balsam-and-cedar-scented sanctuary.

Will any New Jersey Yankee Candle locations close?

Right now, Newell hasn’t said which specific stores will close, so there’s no official word on whether any New Jersey locations are on the list. If browsing Yankee Candle is your version of aromatherapy, you might want to stay tuned. Personally, though, walking into a Yankee Candle store can be a lot for me—one candle at a time is lovely, but all those scents hitting me at once feels like a brick wall to the nose.

Current Yankee Candle locations in New Jersey

• Bridgewater Commons – Bridgewater

• Cherry Hill Mall – Cherry Hill

• Deptford Mall – Deptford

• Freehold Raceway Mall – Freehold

• Garden State Plaza – Paramus

• Jackson Premium Outlets – Jackson

• Jersey Shore Premium Outlets – Tinton Falls

• Menlo Park Mall – Edison

• Newport Centre – Jersey City

• Rockaway Townsquare – Rockaway

As soon as Newell releases the full list of closures, I’ll help break it all down. Until then, keep enjoying those seasonal scents—and maybe stock up on your favorites just in case.  This is one item you will still want to buy in a store as we have not figured out a way to transmit scents online...yet!