Thomas Gounley

TGOUNLEY@NEWS-LEADER.COM

The Gordmans department store in Springfield, along with several others around the state, appears to have been spared closure.

The Nebraska-based retailer filed for bankruptcy protection last month, saying at the time that it planned to liquidate the inventory of its more than 100 discount stores in 22 states. On Thursday, however, Texas-based Stage Stores announced it was the winning bidder for Gordmans’ assets.

Stage Stores said at the time it plans to buy and run at least 50 stores and one of Gordmans’ distribution centers, but it did not identify the fate of specific stores.

Additional details, however, emerged in documents filed late Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Omaha.

The filings contain a list of 48 closing stores. That list includes several Missouri stores, in Chesterfield, Blue Springs, Liberty and Kansas City, where the chain has two stores.

An additional 57 stores — those that appear to have been spared closure — are on a list labeled "Designation Rights Stores." The location at 3303 S. Campbell Avenue is on that list, along with several other existing Missouri stores, in Fenton, St. Joseph, Independence, St. Charles, O'Fallon, Arnold and Kansas City.

The list of closings filed with the court might be subject to change. Stage Stores said Friday the definitive list would be posted to Gordmans' website this week, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Stage Stores already operates roughly 800 stores under several brands, including Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage.

Stage CEO Michael Glazer says he thinks the Gordmans stores it is buying can thrive once they are free of significant debt and unprofitable locations.

Private equity firm Sun Capital Partners bought Gordmans in 2008 and still owned about half of the company that employed more than 5,000 people.

“We plan to maintain the Gordmans brand and look forward to welcoming a significant number of Gordmans employees to our Company,” Glazer said in a statement.

Retail chains that have closed, or are in the process of closing, stores in the Springfield area so far this year are Staples, Kmart, Vanity, Yankee Candle and MC Sports.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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