The Vans store has closed its doors at Westfield Montgomery mall — a move that seemed to have taken both employees and customers by surprise. The California-based fashion brand, best known for its skater shoes and signature checkerboard pattern, has struggled with faltering sales and announced a round of corporate layoffs last fall. There have been no public announcements about store closings, but former Vans employees have been chatting in online forums about suddenly losing their jobs as numerous stores went dark over the past few months. At Westfield Montgomery, fans of Vans shoes can still find the brand at Nordstrom, Zumiez, Foot Locker, Journeys and Snipes.
