News that Macy’s is closing its Chesapeake Square store caught Nelle Rawls off guard.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Rawls said, up from North Carolina to visit her daughter. “We came out here to catch any closing sales tonight … but I wish the store would remain open.

“I shop here at least twice a month. There is nothing else around my home or even around here that will fill that void.”

Macy’s announced Wednesday that it is shuttering three of six stores in Hampton Roads over the next few months. The local stores closing include Chesapeake Square, with 69 employees; Peninsula Town Center, 109 employees; and Military Circle Mall, 95 employees. It’s part of the company’s plan to close 40 stores around the country, in the wake of sluggish holiday sales nationwide.

Macy’s will keep stores open at Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach, Greenbrier Mall in Chesapeake and Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News.

Final clearance sales will start on Jan. 11 and are expected to last from eight to 12 weeks, according to a company press release.

The loss of Macy’s will be a blow to Chesapeake Square Mall, owned by the Simon Property Group. The mall has already lost one anchor store, Sears, two years ago.

There wasn’t a lot of traffic outside Macy’s Friday afternoon.

Mary Lee Whitley, shopping with her granddaughter, said she doubted she would travel to get to other Macy’s stores.

“I will probably just go to Harbour View shopping,” Whitley said.