SOUTH DEERFIELD — Yankee Candle owner Newell Brands will close 20 stores in the U.S. and Canada, which collectively represent roughly 1% of brand sales, the company said Monday.

The closures are expected to take effect in January.

Newell Brands — which also has products such as Sharpie pens and Coleman camping gear — also said Monday that it will lay off more than 900 employees this month. That would equate to about 10% of its professional and clerical employees, according to a statement .

The company said there would be limited effects on manufacturing or supply-chain operations.

Yankee Candle has a distribution center at 27 Yankee Candle Way in South Deerfield and a factory in Whately, as well as its “Scenter of the Universe” megastore in South Deerfield.

A corporate spokesperso

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