Mervyns to shut 62 stores.

Byline: Michele Chandler

Sep. 8--Mervyns, the Hayward discount department store chain sold off by Target in 2004, will close 62 struggling locations -- one-quarter of its stores -- and lay off 4,800 workers early next year to fortify its stronger stores in California and elsewhere in the West.

The only California location scheduled to be shut down is an underperforming store in San Diego, the company said. That will leave 125 Mervyns in California, or more than 60 percent of the company's remaining 193 locations. In the Bay Area, Mervyns operates 35 stores.

Privately owned Mervyns will exit Michigan and Oklahoma and parts of Colorado, Louisiana and …