15 retailers that went bankrupt in 2017

2017 is set to go down as the year of the retail apocalypse. Brick-and-mortar chains have announced more store closings this year than any other on record, and at least 6,700 are set to shut down operations this year or early next year. Among the victims are department stores, electronic stores, and mall fixtures -- the pressures of e-commerce and Amazon have meant that fewer Americans need to leave the house to go shopping, squeezing an already-overstored retail environment.

Still, you might be surprised by the big names on the list of businesses going under.

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Jeremy Bowman owns shares of J.C. Penney. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool recommends Camping World Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.