NORMAL - Normal's Cost Plus World Market will close, company officials confirmed Monday.

Further details were not released, but a storewide sale has begun, with some signs advertising "Everything must go."

Cost Plus Inc. last month announced plans to shut down 18 of its underperforming Cost Plus World Market stores this year in the midst of a challenging retail and economic climate, but did not release a list of locations to close.

The Normal store recently began to discount all merchandise at least 10 to 30 percent, excluding beer and wine.

"I can confirm that we will be closing our store in Normal, Illinois," Jill Osaka, public relations manager, wrote in an e-mail to The Pantagraph late Monday afternoon.

Cost Plus, which also will reduce its corporate workforce by about 10 percent, plans to open 17 new stores during the next 12 months, as well.

Cost Plus Inc. is a retailer of casual home living and entertaining products. It began in 1958 in San Francisco and operates 298 stores in 34 states.

The 18,000-square foot Normal store opened in November 2002 in the plaza at 200 Greenbriar Drive, along with Borders Books and Music and Dick's Sporting Goods. Its other Central Illinois locations are in Champaign and Springfield.