Windstream Corporation announced the closing of about 30 Windstream retail stores across 11 states. The number of stores closing represents about half of the telco's total retail footprint. Windstream acknowledged that the reasoning behind the closings had to do with the fact that increasing numbers of customers prefer to shop and pay bills for technology and services online.

About 60 employees total are being affected by the store closures, which are occurring in Arkansas, Georgia, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas. The stores affected will be closed by the end of February.