From executive missteps to pandemic-related shutdowns, we look at why some of the biggest retailers, including Sears and JCPenney, have filed for bankruptcy.

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Modern-day retail is at an inflection point as retailers face struggling physical storefronts, massive debt, and inefficient operations, among other issues.

The Covid-19 pandemic has only accelerated the fall of several retailers, which have faced dwindling sales and growing debt over the past few years as consumer preferences change.

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Department stores are at particular risk, with the pandemic felling iconic names such as Neiman Marcus and JCPenney. Malls saw declining foot traffic even pre-pandemic, but stay-at-home orders further shifted shoppers to online shopping and spending cash on essential goods instead.

In this report, we dig into 113 recent bankruptcies starting in 2015 and the reasons behind them. As we’ll see, Amazon is not the only reason that physical retail is troubled — mounting debt and retailers’ own missteps and lack of adaptability are also to blame, among other factors.

Here are the companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2020 so far:

ASCENA RETAIL

Date: July 2020

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: Ascena Retail, which owns Ann Taylor and Lane Bryant, will close more than half of its stores — 1,600 out of 2,800 locations — according to its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. Formerly known as Dress Barn, the company was heavily reliant on sales from retail locations in malls but saw revenue plunge in recent years with growing competition from online retailers and D2C brands.

NEW YORK & COMPANY

Date: July 2020

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: New York & Company parent company RTW Retailwinds may close all of its nearly 400 stores across 32 states. The latest in a string of apparel store closures, the company said it is looking to sell its e-commerce business and other intellectual property from its brands. As stay-at-home orders were enacted across the US, retailers like New York & Company saw sales plunge, forcing them to furlough workers and temporarily close stores.

MUJI USA

Date: July 2020

Category/Product(s): Stationery & retail

Summary: Japanese retailer Muji’s US arm filed for bankruptcy in July, one of the latest victims of the Covid-19 pandemic. Known for its minimalist, unbranded goods, the retailer plans to close some of its 18 US-based locations but will continue to run its e-commerce store. Its US business has reportedly been operating at a loss for the past 3 years, due to high rents and cheaper alternatives.

SUR LA TABLE

Date: July 2020

Category/Product(s): Kitchenware

Summary: Kitchenware seller Sur La Table filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the same week as Muji USA. The retailer will close 50+ of its 112 stores and will sell its assets to Fortress Investment Group. The company was already struggling to stay afloat pre-pandemic, as online retailers ate away at its market share and consumers shifted away from at-home cooking.

BROOKS BROTHERS

Date: July 2020

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: Storied menswear brand Brooks Brothers has grappled with evolving its brand in recent years, as more casual dress styles have become the norm. After it filed for bankruptcy in July, retail management firm Authentic Brands Group and mall landlord Simon Property Group won the bid to buy out the brand by offering a zero-interest loan.

LUCKY BRAND

Date: July 2020

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: Clothing retailer Lucky Brand declared bankruptcy in July, with plans to close at least 13 stores and sell its business to an apparel group owned by Authentic Brands and Simon Property Group, which also operate Aéropostale and Nautica. The clothing retailer saw a 50% month-over-month decline in revenue amid the coronavirus pandemic.

G-STAR

Date: July 2020

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: Netherlands-based denim brand G-Star, which operates 31 stores in the US, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July, citing the pandemic’s disruption to its retail locations. G-Star’s CEO said that it plans to close approximately 24 stores in the US. Its parent company and web-based business will remain in operation.

NPC INTERNATIONAL

Date: July 2020

Category/Product(s): Fast food operator

Summary: Pizza Hut’s largest franchisee, NPC International, filed for bankruptcy in July despite the resurgence of pizza chains amid the Covid-19 crisis. The operator of more than 1,200 Pizza Huts and nearly 400 Wendy’s restaurants, NPC has seen increasing turmoil in the past year, with a growing debt burden of nearly $1B, rising food and labor costs, and, finally, the pandemic-induced shutdowns.

CHUCK E. CHEESE

Date: June 2020

Category/Product(s): Entertainment centers

Summary: Chuck E. Cheese’s parent company CEC Entertainment declared bankruptcy in late June. However, it has yet to announce the closures of any of its 612 Chuck E. Cheese locations, which have been hit especially hard by pandemic-related shutdowns.

GNC

Date: June 2020

Category/Product(s): Health & wellness goods

Summary: The vitamin and nutrition chain GNC has been struggling to garner sales and pay off nearly $1B in debt, even pre-pandemic. It finally filed for bankruptcy in June as the Covid-19 crisis forced it to close 40% of its locations. The company said it will close up to 1,200 stores across the nation as it searches for a buyer.

24 HOUR FITNESS

Date: June 2020

Category/Product(s): Gym

Summary: Gym chain 24 Hour Fitness filed for bankruptcy mid-June after shuttering its locations for months due to Covid-19. It will permanently close 100 gyms, leaving roughly 300 locations across the nation. Mid-tier gym chains have faced increasing competition from boutique classes, such as OrangeTheory and Barry’s Bootcamp, and cheaper facilities, like Planet Fitness.

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Bakery & cafe chain

Summary: Bakery and cafe chain Le Pain Quotidien filed for bankruptcy in May, but its filings revealed that the company had planned to do so pre-pandemic. The chain, which originated in Belgium, was rescued from liquidation when it subsequently sold all of its 98 locations to food brand Aurify, allowing at least 35 stores to continue operations.

ADVANTAGE RENT A CAR

Date: May 2020 (third bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Rental cars

Summary: Following Hertz, Advantage Rent A Car filed its Chapter 11 in late May, as the pandemic continued to stall travel. This reportedly marks the third bankruptcy filing for the rental car company, having previously filed in 2008 and 2013. The company’s 2013 filing resulted in its sale to Toronto-based PE firm Catalyst Capital Group.

HERTZ

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Rental cars

Summary: The nation’s second-largest rental car company, Hertz is one of the highest-profile victims of the coronavirus pandemic, with $19B in debt and some 700,000 cars in its inventory. The rental car industry saw demand plummet as travel halted amid nationwide shutdowns. In June, Hertz stock rallied by as much as 10x, which led to Hertz attempting to sell new shares of its stock — a move soon revoked when the SEC began looking into the sale.

CENTRIC BRANDS

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Brand collective

Summary: Centric Brands designs and manufactures clothing for brands such as Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Under Armour. As part of its Chapter 11 filing, the brand collective entered into a restructuring support agreement with its lenders and will emerge as a private company.

JCPENNEY

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Department store

Summary: Department store chain JCPenney was another early victim of the Covid-19 crisis, declaring bankruptcy in mid-May. The company said that it will continue operating throughout the bankruptcy, but it expects to close about 30% of its 800+ US stores. JCPenney has been beleaguered with problems for the past decade, many of them self-inflicted due to poor executive decisions. It’s hemorrhaged money since 2010, its last profitable year, and has accumulated $4.5B in net losses since then.

STAGE STORES

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Department store

Summary: Department store operator Stage Stores, which owns department stores and discount brands like Goody’s, Peebles, and Gordmans, filed for bankruptcy after being forced to temporarily close all of its 700+ stores across 42 states. Department store chains like Stage Stores have been especially at risk amid the pandemic, as the shift to online shopping has accelerated.

TUESDAY MORNING

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Discount home goods

Summary: Discount home goods chain Tuesday Morning filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May, citing Covid-19-induced store closures. The company plans to restructure and close approximately 230 locations, leaving 450 stores remaining across the US.

NEIMAN MARCUS

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Department store

Summary: Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus was another major national retailer to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid the coronavirus crisis. Like many other retailers, it faced problems stemming from before the pandemic, especially after a 2013 private equity buyout that saddled the company with debt. The department store chain, which owns Bergdorf Goodman, struggled to adapt to e-commerce, and its heavy debt burden prevented it from being able to compete against rivals like Farfetch and Net-a-Porter.

ALDO

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Footwear

Summary: Shoe chain Aldo filed for bankruptcy in Canada in May, and it is seeking protection in the US and Switzerland. The Montreal-based retailer has failed to gain a foothold in the growing casual footwear market in recent years.

JOHN VARVATOS

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: Luxury menswear brand John Varvatos declared bankruptcy in May and plans to sell itself to current majority owner Lion Capital in its restructuring. The company suffered in 2019 when Nordstorm pulled some of its brands out of its department stores, resulting in a sharp plunge in profit. The brand was mid-reorganization when the pandemic forced it to close stores and lay off 76% of its workforce.

GOLD’S GYM

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Gym

Summary: Global gym chain Gold’s Gym filed its Chapter 11 in May. Amid the pandemic, the company had to temporarily close approximately 700 gyms globally and permanently close 30 locations. The company said that it plans to emerge from bankruptcy by August and will continue to operate as it restructures.

J. CREW GROUP

Date: May 2020

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: The owner of J. Crew and Madewell was the first national store brand in the US to file for bankruptcy since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Store closures decimated sales and derailed IPO plans for Madewell, which has garnered more success and popularity than J. Crew in recent years. The company said it expects to continue operating through its bankruptcy and emerge as a profitable company.

ROOTS USA

Date: April 2020

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: Toronto-based clothing retailer Roots is shuttering the majority of its 9 US stores, which have represented only losses for the brand. Its US arm filed for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in April, but Roots plans to keep its long-standing stores in Michigan and Utah open.

TRUE RELIGION

Date: April 2020 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: True Religion’s April Chapter 11 filing marked the denim retailer’s second bankruptcy in 3 years. The company has temporarily closed all stores amid the crisis and laid off more than 90% of its employees in the meantime.

DEAN & DELUCA

Date: March 2020

Category/Product(s): Grocery

Summary: Gourmet grocery chain Dean & DeLuca had already ceased all operations when it filed for bankruptcy in March. The chain had been a pioneer in introducing US customers to international, hard-to-get items, but growing competition from rivals like Amazon’s Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s forced it to shutter stores after running out of cash mid-2019. Dean & Deluca was acquired by Thailand-based real estate developer Pace Development in 2014.

MODELL’S SPORTING GOODS

Date: March 2020

Category/Product(s): Sporting goods

Summary: The sporting goods retailer filed for bankruptcy in March but requested an extension on its case given the mandate to shut down nonessential retail amid Covid-19. The original plan was to liquidate all of its 134 stores, but the suspension of the case will allow the retailer to stop paying rent and utilities, drawing much furor from landlords and creditors.

ART VAN FURNITURE

Date: March 2020

Category/Product(s): Furniture

Summary: Art Van Furniture sold a fifth of its stores in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, which was later converted to a Chapter 7. The furniture retailer was once one of the largest in the Midwest, with nearly 170 locations. US Realty Acquisitions, the real estate investment arm of private equity firm US Assets, acquired the inventory and assets for approximately $6.9M and may reopen stores under a new name, Loves Furniture.

BLUESTEM BRANDS

Date: March 2020

Category/Product(s): D2C retailer

Summary: D2C retailer Bluestem Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March, citing poor holiday performance and a prolonged liquidity crunch. The filing came with a deal to sell itself to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP, which was approved in July. Bluestem owns a variety of brands, including Appleseed’s, Blair, Draper’s & Damon’s, and Fingerhut, spanning multiple retail categories such as apparel and electronics.

PIER 1 IMPORTS

Date: February 2020

Category/Product(s): Home goods

Summary: After filing for bankruptcy in February, home goods retailer Pier 1 Imports shuttered all of its retail stores as Covid-19 battered the already-vulnerable company. Retail Ecommerce Ventures offered $31M to purchase Pier 1’s e-commerce assets, which, if court approved, plans to transition the business into an online-only shop.

PAPYRUS

Date: January 2020

Category/Product(s): Stationery

Summary: Schurman Fine Paper, which owns stationery chain Papyrus, filed for bankruptcy in January. It said it would close all 254 stores in North America. The advent of email and text messaging effectively devastated the greeting card industry, and the company says it was never able to fully recover from the Great Recession.

FAIRWAY

Date: January 2020 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Grocery

Summary: New York-based grocery chain Fairway declared bankruptcy in January and will close up to 5 of its 14 locations. The chain filed for bankruptcy previously in 2016, after going public in 2013. Pressure from larger competitors like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have squeezed smaller chains in recent years, with A&P, Winn-Dixie, and Bi-Lo all filing for bankruptcy in recent years.

Here are the companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2019:

DESTINATION MATERNITY

Date: October 2019

Category/Product(s): Maternity apparel

Summary: Destination Maternity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October, reportedly attributing its financial struggles to a confluence of factors, including declining birth rates, retail trends, and leadership turnover. The company owns several maternity brands, including Destination Maternity, A Pea in the Pod, and Motherhood Maternity. It carried $244M in debt as of its filing. In early December, Marquee Brands acquired the brand, which will likely close all retail stores in favor of an online shop.

SUGARFINA

Date: September 2019

Category/Product(s): Luxury candy

Summary: The high-end candy brand Sugarfina filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September. The company’s bread and butter products were confections geared toward millennial adults, such as champagne and cocktail-themed candies. Despite several consecutive years of year-over-year revenue increases, it began taking accelerating losses in 2016. In 2018, Sugarfina reportedly took nearly $18M in losses, and, as of its bankruptcy, carried $26M in debt.

FOREVER 21

Date: September 2019

Category/Product(s): Fast-fashion apparel & accessories

Summary: Forever 21 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September and plans to close hundreds of stores as it restructures. However, the company said it does not plan to go out of business and is instead using the bankruptcy filing to restrategize and shore up its future. Part of its restructuring is shrinking its global footprint and withdrawing from 40 countries where it previously operated stores. In addition to its US operations, Forever 21 will reportedly continue to operate in Mexico and Latin America, while largely reducing its Asian and European interests.

FRED’S

Date: September 2019

Category/Product(s): Retail & pharmacy

Summary: The Southern discount retail and pharmacy chain Fred’s filed Chapter 11 in September and swiftly began liquidation sales. The news was not particularly surprising, as the chain had been visibly struggling earlier in the year. Fred’s closed hundreds of locations prior to its Chapter 11 filing in an effort to save the company. Though Fred’s is in the process of closing all of its stores, it sold portions of its pharmacy business to Walgreens and Express Rx in late September.

BARNEYS NEW YORK

Date: August 2019 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Luxury department store

Summary: After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August, luxury department store Barneys New York announced in early November that it would launch liquidation sales in several locations. It previously filed for bankruptcy in January 1996. Although its flagship New York City store will reportedly remain open for the next year, the brand is moving swiftly to sell off inventory as licensing company Authentic Brands takes over ownership. Authentic Brands is said to be entertaining a licensing deal with Saks Fifth Avenue. The New York Times reported that the loss of its identity and the struggle to move online contributed to the downfall of Barneys New York.

AVENUE

Date: August 2019

Category/Product(s): Plus-size apparel

Summary: Avenue, a plus-size clothing brand for women, pursued Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August. However, it converted its case to Chapter 7 in November. In court documents, Avenue CFO David Rhoads blamed the company’s circumstances in part on increased competition in the plus-size apparel space. With an increase in plus-size offerings from a range of clothing companies, Avenue struggled to hold onto its market share. Rhoads also noted general retail challenges, including the pressure to offer steep discounts (thus reducing profit margins) as contributing factors to Avenue’s woes.

A’GACI

Date: August 2019 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: A’gaci’s Chapter 11 filing in August was its second in two years, signaling the brand’s ongoing financial struggles. The company first filed for Chapter 11 in January 2018, citing expansion problems and hurricane damages as reasons for its monetary woes. The San Antonio brand was unable to recover following that filing, and it announced that it will close all of its retail stores in light of its second bankruptcy. However, it was reported that the brand is now under new ownership, as its social media page announced a relaunch of the online store in November.

CHARMING CHARLIE

Date: July 2019 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: Charming Charlie filed for bankruptcy for the second time in July 2019. Its first Chapter 11 filing came in December 2017, during which it announced the closure of 100 stores. Then in July, it declared that its more than 250 current stores would be closed as well. The brand shuttered its stores and sold its intellectual property sold for more than $1M at auction to the chain’s founder in September. The Houston brand announced its relaunch over social media in November and is slated to open 15 stores in 2020.

FTD

Date: June 2019

Category/Product(s): Flower delivery company

Summary: FTD, a flower and gift delivery brand, declared bankruptcy in June 2019. The company struggled with $200M in debt related to its acquisition of a rival company in 2014. Declining sales in recent years strained the business, eventually contributing to its Chapter 11 filing. In August, a court approved the sale of FTD North America for roughly $110M to Nexus Capital Management.

HOLLANDER SLEEP PRODUCTS

Date: May 2019

Category/Product(s): Bedding and accessories

Summary: The Florida-based Hollander Sleep Products company declared bankruptcy as a result of substantial cash limitations and debt constraints. Hollander Sleep Products reportedly had just $523,000 in cash on hand at the time of its Chapter 11 filing, attributing its liquidity issues at least in part to rising materials costs. The company also carried $233M in debt. It was sold for $102M in August to Bedding Acquisition LLC.

SONIA RYKIEL

Date: April 2019

Category/Product(s): Luxury fashion

Summary: The French brand Sonia Rykiel filed for bankruptcy in the US in April, part of a broader bankruptcy story at the company. In addition to its Chapter 7 filing and the closure of stores in New York, the company also underwent similar proceedings in France. As of July, the company was reportedly court-mandated to close its stores and liquidate.

ROBERTO CAVALLI

Date: April 2019

Category/Product(s): Luxury clothing

Summary: The luxury fashion brand Roberto Cavalli filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy in April for its US division, Art Fashion Corp, which entailed closing all American stores and letting go of nearly 100 employees. Roberto Cavalli, as an entity, admitted to having “financial difficulties” as it strategized ways to stay afloat. The company was bought by Dubai-based real estate developer Hussain Sajwani in November.

Z GALLERIE

Date: March 2019 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Home decor

Summary: Los Angeles-based home decor brand Z Gallerie announced a Chapter 11 filing in March 2019. It also announced the closure of up to 17 stores as part of its strategy. It previously filed for bankruptcy in 2009, during which it reportedly closed 17 stores. In May, DirectBuy bought Z Gallerie at auction for $20M. The COO of DirectBuy reportedly said the company will continue to operate at least 32 Z Gallerie stores and use it as a complement to the parent company’s brand.

DIESEL

Date: March 2019

Category/Product(s): Denim & jeans

Summary: Denim fashion brand Diesel filed for bankruptcy in March 2019, citing mounting losses at its 28 brick-and-mortar locations in the US. The company had also made what proved to be an ill-timed $90M capital investment, mostly in its stores, that did not bear the desired fruit. In addition, the fashion denim company claims that multiple incidents of theft and fraud led to a $1.2M loss over the last three years. The firm has not announced store closures, but it has outlined a plan for recovery that includes opening new stores and retrofitting some old ones to make their operation more cost-effective.

CHARLOTTE RUSSE

Date: February 2019

Category/Product(s): Apparel

Summary: Popular women’s apparel retailer Charlotte Russe struggled for years as online shopping disrupted the retail sector. Eventually, it could not manage the debt it incurred and filed for bankruptcy in February 2019. At the time, Charlotte Russe secured a $50M debtor-in-possession financing commitment in the hopes of finding a buyer. But according to recent reports, the fashion retailer is going out of business and closing all of its stores nationwide. It’s online store has also shut down.

FULLBEAUTY BRANDS

Date: February 2019

Category/Product(s): Beauty

Summary: FullBeauty Brands entered and exited bankruptcy in record time. The company filed for Chapter 11 on February 3, 2019 and emerged with court approval for its reorganization plan in less than 24 hours. Having struggled with financial difficulties and increased competition, the New York City-based online retailer of plus-sized women’s clothing had carried a debt burden of $1.3B prior to bankruptcy. It was able to eliminate about $900M of debt by turning over company ownership to its creditors. FullBeauty Brands has since secured $35M in new financing.

PAYLESS

Date: February 2019 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Footwear

Summary: After emerging from its first bankruptcy in late 2017, Payless filed for bankruptcy once more on February 18, 2019. Struggling with the challenging retail environment and significant debt from its first foray into Chapter 11 (while managing a massive footprint of about 3,400 stores in 40 countries), Payless announced it would be closing all 2,100 of its remaining stores in the US and Puerto Rico. Payless represents one of the one of the largest retailer liquidations to date, according to the Wall Street Journal.

THINGS REMEMBERED

Date: February 2019

Category/Product(s): Gifts

Summary: Facing steep competition from online retailers and shouldering a $144M debt load, Things Remembered filed for bankruptcy on February 6, 2019. Later in the month, the Cleveland-based gifts retailer won court approval to close a majority of its 400 stores as it planned to sell most of its business to Enesco, an Illinois-based company that specializes in gift ware, home decor, and accessories. The transaction completed in March 2019, and Things Remembered will continue to operate 176 sores under its brand.

BEAUTY BRANDS

Date: January 2019

Category/Product(s): Beauty

Summary: Beauty Brands filed for bankruptcy in January 2019, entering into an asset purchase agreement with Hilco Merchant Resources for the sale of its operating assets. The Kansas City-based beauty and salon retailer is reported to have expanded its store footprint too rapidly, racking up unsustainable operating losses in the process. In February, however, a judge granted the founder approval to buy Beauty Brands for a minimum of $4.65M. While 25 stores will be closing, the remaining 33 are expected to remain open as the beauty retailer reorganizes.

GYMBOREE

Date: January 2019 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Children’s apparel

Summary: Gymboree filed for its second bankruptcy in January 2019, announcing that it would close about 800 Gymboree and Crazy 8 stores in the US and Canada. Gymboree had closed and liquidated 300 stores and eliminated roughly $900M in debt following its first bankruptcy in June of 2017, but it continued to steadily lose market share after that point. Gymboree is now selling its flagship brand as well as the Crazy 8 brand to The Children’s Place for $76M. The children’s apparel retailer will also sell its Janie and Jack clothing line to Gap Inc for $35M.

INNOVATIVE MATTRESS SOLUTIONS

Date: January 2019

Category/Product(s): Mattresses

Summary: Faced with disruptive competition from bed-in-box startups like Casper, Kentucky-based Innovative Mattress solutions filed for Chapter 11 in January 2019. Innovative Mattress Solutions has secured $14M in debtor-in-possession financing from strategic partner Tempur Sealy as it seeks a buyer. It is expected to close some of its stores in the southeastern US.

SHOPKO

Date: January 2019

Category/Product(s): Retail chain

Summary: Shopko filed for bankruptcy on January 16, 2019 after being hit with a lawsuit from pharmaceutical drug supplier McKesson Corporation alleging that it owed the firm $67M. The Wisconsin-based retailer secured $480M in financing from lenders so that it could continue normal business operations, then announced that it would close 250 more stores on top of the 38 locations it had previously declared it would shutter. A special committee is investigating dividend payments made by Shopko to some of its equity owners, including Sun Capital.

Here are the companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2018: DAVID’S BRIDAL Date: November 2018 Category/Product(s): Bridal apparel Summary: Struggling to keep up with online competitors and burdened with hundreds of millions of dollars in debt from a prior private-equity buyout, David’s Bridal filed for bankruptcy on November 19, 2018. The bridal apparel retailer secured financing to keep its website and more than 300 stores operating normally as it reorganized, promising that brides would still receive their wedding dresses on schedule. David’s Bridal emerged from bankruptcy in January 2019, yet still faces considerable challenges as the marriage rate continues to decline and millennials in particular delay their trips to the altar. SEARS Date: October 2018 Category/Product(s): Retail chain Summary: Retail giant Sears filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2018, following years of financial struggles — in part due to a thriving online retail ecosystem. Despite reducing assets and selling real estate over the years, the company was unable to pay off $134M worth of debt. Sears Holdings, the parent company of Sears and Kmart, said it plans to keep profitable stores running. By the end of 2018, the company was looking to shutter at least 188 stores out of the nearly 700 that remained. In February 2019, a New York court approved a $5.2B bid by Sears Chairman Edward Lampert to buy the company. Now that it has shed debt and pension obligations while closing unprofitable stores, the retailer faces many of the same challenges it once did — personalizing the customer experience and leveraging AI to improve operational efficiency, for example — but with fewer financial constraints holding it back. Sears will now operate 223 Sears and 202 Kmart stores, down from 687 stores in 2018 and 1,672 stores in 2016. MATTRESS FIRM Date: October 2018 Category/Product(s): Mattresses Summary: Mattress Firm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2018. The company said it would shutter 200 underperforming locations right away, and look to potentially close 700 stores altogether over the next few months. In conjunction with its prepackaged restructuring plan, Mattress Firm received commitments for about $250M to help support ongoing operations during the process. The company also obtained another $525M in lines of credit to finance its exit from bankruptcy. GUMP’S Date: August 2018 Category/Product(s): Department store Summary: Gump’s, one of the oldest gifts, jewelry, and luxury home furnishing retailers in the United States, filed for bankruptcy on August 3, 2018. Like many other department stores, Gump’s has grappled with an extraordinarily challenging retail environment as it battled high operating costs and a heavy debt load. While the San Francisco-based retailer did enjoy some success launching e-commerce sales, it incurred net losses of $5M in 2016 and $5.7M in 2017. As it undergoes reorganization, Gump’s is actively searching for a buyer. BROOKSTONE Date: August 2018 Category/Product(s): Gadgets and gifts Summary: Brookstone, the mall chain retailer that sells a variety of products, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2018. The bankruptcy, the company’s second in four years, was a result of declining foot traffic in malls and mismanagement that impacted sales. Brookstone hired liquidators to help close about 100 stores across the country. In August of the same year, Brookstone sought Authentic Brands Group as a potential acquirer — the same brand that bought the Nine West, Bandolino, and Nautica brands. NATIONAL STORES INC. Date: August 2018 Category/Product(s): Discount retailer for apparel, shoes, houseware, etc. Summary: Discount retailer National Stores Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection in August 2018, with plans to close 74 of its 344 stores. As part of a reorganization plan, the retailer said it would be working with a combination of vendors, lenders, and creditors to stay afloat. The company will use the capital from the liquidity to fund operations, in addition to receiving a commitment of $108M in debtor-in-possession financing from its existing lenders. Samuels Jewelers Inc. Date: August 2018 Category/Product(s): Jewelry chain Summary: Texas-based jewelry chain Samuels Jewelers Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2018, mostly due to a drop in sales and profits from increasing online retail competition. The company was previously under Mehul Choksi, who has been under fire for alleged bank fraud along with his nephew Nirav Modi. Samuels is looking to sell, and plans to close more than 100 stores in the process. The company has already brought in Gordon Brothers Retail Partners and Hilco Merchant Resources to help sell off inventory and assets in order to pay off debt worth over $100M. Rockport Date: May 2018 Category/Product(s): Shoes Summary: Massachusetts-based Rockport declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2018, citing declining traffic to physical stores and a rocky separation from its previous owner, Adidas unit Reebok, as reasons. At the time of the filing, the company said it would potentially shutter all of its standalone retail stores, including 27 across the United States. Rockport agreed to sell itself to private equity firm Charlesbank Capital Partners for $150M in July. But that sale was halted when Reebok and Adidas objected to the sale, claiming $54M was owed to the shoe brands. The deal, however, was finalized in August, with Rockport agreeing to pay Adidas $8M from the proceeds of its sale. The company has since announced it will enhance its focus on its global wholesale, independent, and e-commerce businesses. Nine West Holdings Inc.

Date: April 2018 Category/Product(s): Shoes, fashion, accessories Summary: Shoe retailer Nine West Holdings Inc. filed for bankruptcy in April 2018, with court documents showing the company owed more than $1B to as many as 50,000 creditors. In June 2018, the company sold off its namesake brand, along with its handbag brand Bandolino, for $340M. Although the company announced it would operate as usual through the bankruptcy, it asked investment bank Lazard Ltd to help explore a sale for its remaining assets, which include its jewelry and jeansware businesses, as well as its women’s clothing lines, Kasper and Anne Klein. In October 2018, Nine West filed an amended bankruptcy plan to reduce its pre-bankruptcy debt obligations by more than $1B. In late February 2019, the footwear brand received court approval to proceed with its plan to restructure its debts. Southeastern Grocers Date: March 2018 Category/Product(s): Grocery stores Summary: Florida-based Southeastern Grocers, operator of supermarket chains Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2018. At the time of the filing, the company announced its intent to restructure and reduce its debt by $500M, all while continuing to operate more than 580 stores. In June 2018, the company said it decreased overall debt by $600M. It also shuttered nearly 100 stores in the process, and plans to remodel 100 stores in 2018. Remington Outdoor Date: March 2018 Category/Product(s): Gun manufacturer Summary: American firearms manufacturer holding company Remington Outdoor filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2018. The move surfaced amid increasing debts, dropping sales, andnlawsuits stemming from the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre (in which one of the company’s rifles was used). The company came out of that bankruptcy in May, after a judge in Delaware agreed to a restructuring plan that cleared out more than $775M in debt. As part of the restructure, it will no longer be owned by the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. JPMorgan’s asset management arm and other creditors will instead take control. Claire’s Date: March 2018 Category/Product(s): Teen Accessories Summary: The teen accessories retailer, well-known for its ear-piercing service, filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2018. Claire’s has been unable to make good on its debt obligations after a private equity firm took the company private as part of a $3.1B leveraged buyout in 2007. This represents the latest retailer to be brought down by a combination of private equity debt, and e-commerce competition. Claire’s is currently negotiating with its lenders to reduce its debt as it continues to operate its retail locations. The Walking Company Date: March 2018 Category/Product(s): Footwear Summary: The California-based comfort footwear retailer filed for bankruptcy in March 2018, its second in the past ten years. While the company successfully emerged from its first bankruptcy, it was unable to stay afloat after one of its major suppliers cut ties. In addition, the company has had difficulties keeping up with rent. Current plans to turn the company around, which include investments from shareholders and a bankruptcy loan, will be dependent upon the company’s ability to renegotiate leases with its current landlords. Charlotte Olympia Date: February 2018 Category/Product(s): Luxury women’s shoes and accessories Summary: Charlotte Olympia filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2018, citing the “unprecedented disruption in the retail market.” The company’s assets totaled $3.26M, owing nearly $20M in debt. Charlotte Olympia closed all four stores in the US after securing $410,000 in debtor-in-possession financing to support its operations and liquidation costs. Bon-ton Date: February 2018 Category/Product(s):Department Store Chain Summary: Milwaukee-based Bon-Ton filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2018 due to ongoing struggles with declining sales as well as difficulties in adapting to e-commerce. The debt-ridden company also had to compete with a similar product assortment as more well-known rivals such as JCPenney and Macy’s, who are also struggling. Bon-Ton is currently working to close 40+ physical stores and is also exploring the possibility of a sale. KIKO USA Date: January 2018 Category/Product(s): Beauty Summary:The American subsidiary of an Italian makeup retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2018. The company has made plans to restructure which includes the closure of nearly all of its remaining domestic stores. According to the company’s chief executive, Kiko USA suffered from extremely high operating costs and continually depressed profits in recent years. While Kiko had witnessed its online sales grow in 2017, it was not enough to protect its brick-and-mortar stores from the rise of e-commerce and overall decline in shopping mall foot traffic. A’gaci Date:January 2018 Category/Product(s): Apparel & Accessories Summary: 2018’s first retail apocalypse victim, Texas-based fashion retailer A’gaci, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2018 due to poor financial performance, which stemmed from a badly planned physical retail expansion, hurricane damages, and other internal issues. Post-bankruptcy, the company seeks to decrease its physical footprint and focus on its more profitable storefronts.

Here are the companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2017:

CHARMING CHARLIE

Date: December 2017

Category/Product(s): Apparel & accessories

Summary: Apparel chain Charming Charlie was the final casualty in 2017’s retail apocalypse. Founded in 2004, the company has historically provided mid-price range, color-coordinated apparel and accessories assortments. The company filed for Chapter 11 protection on December 11, citing declining sales due to issues with inventory, merchandising, and vendors. Charming Charlie plans to close 100 of its stores by the end of 2017 with larger plans to restructure its debt and business.

Styles For Less

Date: November 2017

Category/Product(s): Teen apparel

Summary: Teen apparel chain Styles For Less filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2017. The company cited issues such as industry discounting, e-commerce, and competition from fast fashion brands (which bring inexpensive designs to stores to quickly meet emerging fashion trends). As of early November, Styles stated it had closed 50+ of its stores, laid off 300+ employees, and cut salaries to shed debt in anticipation of a turnaround bid.

Toys “R” Us

Date: September 2017

Category/Product(s): Children’s toys

Summary: Toys “R” Us was the third largest bankruptcy in the US (after KMart in 2002 and Federated Department Stores, now Macy’s, in 1990). A mounting debt, due to a leveraged buyout by a few private equity firms in 2005, along with competition from Amazon and other online merchants, caused Toys “R” Us’ ongoing crisis, which culminated in a Chapter 11 filing in September 2017. Despite hopes of a turnaround amidst its Chapter 11 filing, in March 2018, the company ultimately decided to close all of its stores, after a disappointing holiday sales period.

Aerosoles

Date: September 2017

Category/Product(s): Footwear

Summary: Affordable footwear retailer Aerosoles struggled to compete in an tough apparel market as it looked to balance affordability and comfort with changing fashion trends, while competing with even cheaper fast fashion chains. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2017, noting the need to improve its financials and close many of its 88 stores. Aeropostale had been owned by private equity firm Palladin Consumer Retail Partners since 2014.

Vitamin World

Date: September 2017

Category/Product(s): Vitamins

Summary: With 334 retail locations and over $43M in debt, Vitamin World declared bankruptcy. The company cited supply chain and ingredient availability issues as contributing factors towards its decline. In late November 2017, Vitamin World won court approval to close over 100 stores and put the rest up for sale over the 2017 holiday season.

Perfumania

Date: August 2017

Category/Product(s): Perfume & beauty

Summary: Amidst declining sales and piling debt, Perfumania filed for Chapter 11 protection in August. Increased expenses, supply chain inefficiencies, and the need to enhance operating results contributed to the perfume retailer’s bankruptcy, which was court-approved in October. Perfumania plans to go private and become a digital retailer with a renewed focus on e-commerce and omnichannel initiatives. The company will have to compete with direct-to-consumer perfume brands like Scentbird, Sniph, and others.

Alfred Angelo

Date: July 2017

Category/Product(s): Bridal dresses

Summary: In July 2017, Florida–based Alfred Angelo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which allowed the company to liquidate instead of restructure its debt. This caused a frenzy for bridal parties who had pre-ordered dresses. Competitors, such as David’s Bridal, even offered discounts for brides who had previously ordered dresses from the bankrupt retailer. The company faced an eviction lawsuit over unpaid rent at the end of June, prior to declaring bankruptcy.

True Religion Apparel Inc.

Date: July 2017

Category/Product(s): Denim & jeans

Summary: California-based denim retailer True Religion was another company who sought bankruptcy in efforts to revive itself from huge debts and decreasing sales. The company struggled to retain business in a difficult denim market that was being chipped away by the athleisure clothing trend as well as fast fashion and low-priced retailers. After filing for Chapter 11 protection in July, the company exited in October with plans to establish a smaller footprint and increase digital growth.

Papaya Clothing

Date: June 2017

Category/Product(s): Teen apparel

Summary: Papaya Clothing joined many of its mall-based peers earlier in June after facing financial difficulties from e-commerce and fast fashion competition, along with a badly timed expansion plan. The company has asked the court to exit 30 stores but plans to stay open as it looks to restructure debt, rationalize its retail footprint, and fulfill other financial obligations.

Gymboree

Date: June 2017

Category/Product(s): Children’s apparel

Summary: Another victim to financial woes and a leveraged buyout (by Bain Capital in 2010), Gymboree filed for Chapter 11 protection in June 2017. The company, renamed to Gymboree Group Inc., exited bankruptcy in October 2017 with plans to close and liquidate 330 under-performing stores and shed $900M in debt. Moving forward, the company plans to revamp its brand, decrease its store footprint, and increase omnichannel initiatives.

Rue21

Date: May 2017

Category/Product(s): Teen apparel

Summary: Amidst closing over 400 stores in efforts to downsize, teen specialty apparel retailer Rue21 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2017 and agreed to reduce debt and reorganize internally thanks to an injection of new capital from investors. The company cited the general retail industry downturn, declining sales, and increasing operating costs along with internal problems such as merchandising, strategy, and e-commerce fulfillment as major factors that led to bankruptcy. However, the company emerged from this carefully planned bankruptcy in less than four months from the initial filing with intentions to maintain high performing stores and to continue growing its e-commerce business.

Payless

Date: April 2017

Category/Product(s): Footwear

Summary: After a leveraged buyout in 2012 by private equity firms Blum Capital and Golden Gate, Payless continued struggling with a large debt and weak sales amidst a challenging retail environment. The discount footwear chain filed for Chapter 11 protection in April 2017, which resulted in an agreement with lenders to close 800 stores and reduce debt. The company recently announced a new strategy that will shift its focus to Hispanic markets, establish a new pricing strategy, and streamline corporate headquarters.

Gordmans

Date: March 2017

Category/Product(s): Discount department store

Summary: Nebraska-based Gordman’s struggled to adapt to e-commerce (it launched an online site in 2015) and experienced declining sales since 2012. Exacerbated by a legacy Wall Street development from 2010 that accelerated the company’s cash depletion, Gordman’s filed for bankruptcy in March 2017 and announced severe job cuts. The company’s final liquidation plan was approved in November.

Gander Mountain

Date: March 2017

Category/Product(s): Outdoor recreation

Summary: Another outdoor retailer, Minnesota-based Gander Mountain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2017 and announced plans to close 30+ under-performing stores. Outdoor and camping retailer Camping World won the bankruptcy auction for Gander Mountain for approximately $37M. The company recently rebranded as “Gander Outdoors” and has noted plans to relaunch in 2018 with a revamped customer experience for outdoors enthusiasts.

RadioShack

Date: March 2017 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Electronics

Summary: After a disappointing co-branded partnership with Sprint, which was launched to help RadioShack better compete and Sprint to scale its own business, the company declared bankruptcy for the second time in March 2017 (after previously doing so in 2015). RadioShack exited bankruptcy earlier in November 2017 with hopes of operating as an online retailer with a limited physical footprint.

HHGregg

Date: March 2017

Category/Product(s): Consumer electronics & home appliances

Summary: Beyond apparel, big-box electronics stores have also faced fierce competition in recent years. Unable to compete with Best Buy and Amazon, Indiana-based HHGregg filed for bankruptcy. Holding company Valor LLC, which outbid Sears and Best Buy, bought the company’s rights and HHGregg emerged from bankruptcy in October 2017 as a purely online brand. Though the company’s website has a section for store information, HHGregg currently has no physical footprint. However, new leadership has recently claimed that HHGregg will make a comeback with a revamped website and smaller physical footprint.

Vanity

Date: March 2017

Category/Product(s): Women’s apparel

Summary: Mall-based specialty apparel retailer Vanity was one casualty of the retail apocalypse that did not have a future post-bankruptcy. After filing for Chapter 11 protectiion in March 2017, the company decided to close all of its 140 stores across the US, effectively eliminating jobs for approximately 1,400 employees. After filing, Vanity’s website (which no longer exists) advertised a going-out-of-business sale.

BCBG

Date: February 2017

Category/Product(s): Women’s apparel

Summary: Another mall-based women’s clothing store known for special occasion dresses, BCBG had a distinct and widely loved brand but still failed to differentiate its apparel from other department and specialty stores. Exacerbated by operational challenges and competition from e-commerce and fast fashion brands, the company declared bankruptcy in February 2017. Marquee Brands and Global Brands Group Holding Ltd. acquired BCBG’s IP and assets. The company has emerged from bankruptcy in August with plans to move forward by decreasing its brick-and-mortar footprint and foraying into new categories, all while still keeping a mid-price range.

Eastern Outfitters

Date: February 2017

Category/Product(s): Outdoor apparel and gear

Summary: Eastern Outfitters, which was formed out of Vestis Retail’s bankrupty was perhaps not surprising after leading sporting goods brand Sports Authority’s bankruptcy in 2016. Increased competition, high retail costs, and consumer shifts to experiential spending had created a tough climate for the sporting goods and apparel industry. Ultimately, British retailer Sports Direct acquired certain assets (including Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports) of Eastern Outfitters for $101M in cash.

Wet Seal

Date: February 2017 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Teen apparel

Summary: Wet Seal struggled to differentiate its apparel from struggling rivals such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Aeropostale, and struggled to succeed even after its first bankruptcy (2015). After its buy out by Versa, the company had trouble meeting the private equity firm’s demands and filed yet again for bankruptcy protection in February 2017. After closing over 330 stores, Wet Seal was then bought by investment and advisory firm Gordon Brothers for $3M in March 2017.

The Limited

Date: January 2017

Category/Product(s): Women’s apparel

Summary: Mall-based women’s apparel brand The Limited was 2017’s first retail apocalypse victim thanks to declining mall traffic, lower-than-anticipated sales, and competition from fast fashion brands like H&M and Zara. After declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2017, private equity firm Sycamore Partners, which specializes in retail investments, bought The Limited’s IP and e-commerce assets. The company subsequently closed its 250 retail stores across the US. With a renewed focus on plus size fashion, The Limited recently launched a new website with plans to bring back The Limited storefronts to malls.

Here are the companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2016:

Yogasmoga

Date: December 2016

Category/Product(s): Athleisure manufacturer and retailer

Summary: The New York City-based activewear brand Yogasmoga filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2016, following an involuntary chapter 7 bankruptcy in November by three creditors who said that they were owed $3.2M. At the time of the filing, Yogasmoga had roughly 50 to 99 creditors, with assets valued between $1M and $10M. The company closed all stores except for one in La Jolla, California.

american apparel

Date: November 2016 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Apparel

Summary: Within a year of its first bankruptcy, American Apparel declared bankruptcy for the second time in November 2016. This time, Canadian apparel company Gildan acquired the company and replaced its “made in America” manufacturing (which was highly expensive) with the motto “Globally Sourced, Ethically Made, Still Sweatshop Free. That’s American Apparel.”

Nasty Gal

Date: November 2016

Category/Product(s): Online fashion retailer

Summary: Nasty Gal filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy to address “immediate liquidity issues, restructure our balance sheet and correct structural issues including reducing our high occupancy costs and restoring compliance with our debt covenants.” In 2012, it hit $100M in sales (just 6 years after launch), but the company’s sales started dropping —$85M in 2014 and then $77M in 2015, thanks in part to leadership turnover. Ultimately, Nasty Gal sold its brand name and other intellectual property for $20M to a rival fashion site, UK-based Boohoo.com.

aeropostale

Date: May 2016

Category/Product(s): Teen apparel

Summary: Teen retailer Aeropostale faced similar challenges to other mall-based retailers and declared bankruptcy in May 2016. The company exited bankruptcy after shedding a large chunk of its physical retail presence and kept 230 stores open after a buy out by mall operators Simon Property Group and General Growth. Since then, the company has reopened over two-thirds of its closed stores under new leadership and is focused on refreshing its brand.

vestis retail group

Date: April 2016

Category/Product(s): Sporting goods

Summary: Owner of Eastern Mountain Sports, Bob’s Stores, and Sport Chalet, Vestis Retail Group (owned by private equity firm Versa Capital Management LLC) announced plans for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2016. Due to operational and financial challenges, the company decided to shut down its Sport Chalet business and place a long-term strategic focus on Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports. Sport Chalet began closing all of its locations that month, while EMS and Bob’s closed only 9 locations in total.

pacsun

Date: April 2016

Category/Product(s): Teen apparel

Summary: Surf and skate apparel brand PacSun faced evolving teen apparel trends and long-term debt issues and ultimately declared bankruptcy in April 2016. San Francisco-based private equity firm Golden Gate Capital acquired PacSun, which exited from bankruptcy just 5 months later, having decreased its store count as well as a great deal of its debt in a debt-for-equity swap.

sports authority

Date: March 2016

Category/Product(s): Sportswear

Summary: Sporting goods retailer Sports Authority declared bankruptcy in March 2016 with intentions of finding a buyer and closing 140 of 450 stores. Beyond competition from other big-box retailers and Amazon, major sports leagues such as the NBA and NFL that sell team merchandise also chipped away at Sports Authority’s market share. After failing to find a buyer to keep the business alive, the company liquidated and sold all its assets in May 2016, signalling continued difficulties for brick-and mortar sportswear apparel.

hancock fabrics

Date: February 2016 (second bankruptcy)

Category/Product(s): Fabrics

Summary: Mississippi-based Fabric retailer Hancock Fabrics first declared bankruptcy in 2007, but it emerged over a year later. However, a difficult retail environment amidst competition from Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts forced the company to declare a second bankruptcy in February 2016. Unable to find a buyer, Hancock sold its branding rights and IP to arts and crafts retailer Michaels, allowing the company to leverage Hancock’s customer data to get into the sewing business. Hancock Fabrics ultimately went out of business completely and closed all 185 of its stores nationwide in 2016, signalling the end of over-niched big-box retailers.

Joyce Leslie

Date: January 2016

Category/Product(s): Women’s clothing retailer

Summary: Joyce Leslie, a women’s clothing retailer with 47 stores in the New York metropolitan area, filed for Chapter 11 reorganization on January 2016. According to court papers, company lacked a “sophisticated e-commerce platform to compete in today’s market.” The company also said its assets and liabilities ranged between $1M to $10M, with between 1,000 and 5,000 creditors. The retailer liquidated its assets and sold off its intellectual property, retail store leases, and the lease of its corporate office and distribution center to help pay down debts.

Here are the companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2015:

Tamara Mellon

Date: December 2015

Category/Product(s): Women’s shoes

Summary: Tamara Mellon, founder of Jimmy Choo, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy for her namesake ready-to-wear and footwear label in December 2015. The company filed in order to reorganize and emerge from bankruptcy to form a new company. During the process, Tamara Mellon could continue to trade for 60 days without reducing employee count. The company eventually secured funding from private equity firm New Enterprise Associates, among others, and relaunched.

Good Times Convenience Stores

Date: November 2015

Category/Product(s): Gas & Convenience

Summary: Facing legacy supply issues from 2006, Good Times Convenience Stores, once a major player for gas stops and convenience stores, declared Chapter 11 protection in November 2015. Back in 2006, Dallas-based Alon USA Energy Inc. purchased 40 of its stores and converted them into 7-Elevens.

american apparel

Date: October 2015

Category/Product(s): Apparel

Summary: Manufactured-in-America brand American Apparel faced declining sales, massive debt, and internal issues with controversial founder Dov Charney, ultimately leading to its first Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2015. The company emerged from bankruptcy in February 2016 under the ownership of hedge fund Monarch Alternative Capital LP.

city sports

Date: October 2015

Category/Product(s): Sports apparel

Summary: Boston-based sports apparel retailer City Sports filed for bankruptcy in October 2015, after facing competition from athletic apparel retailers. The company liquidated its assets, closed over two dozen of its stores nationwide, and was bought by the Sonnek-Schmelz brothers, who also owned soccer store chain Soccer Post. In April 2017, the company’s website relaunched to sell online merchandise and it announced the upcoming opening of new storefronts in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

Quiksilver

Date: September 2015

Category/Product(s): Surfwear apparel

Summary: Orange County-based surfwear company, Quiksilver, which was the first surfwear company to go public in 1986, succumbed to the rise of fast fashion. Exacerbated by a declining popularity in surfwear apparel during the recession, the company opened too many stores that relied too heavily on its surfwear products. Quiksilver ultimately declared bankruptcy in September 2015. The company restructured approximately $800M in debt and became private under the new management of private equity owner Oaktree Capital. In March 2017, the company rebranded to become Boardriders, Inc. and in early December, made a bid to acquire Australian competitor Billabong, which is currently pending approval.

GM pollack

Date: July 2015

Category/Product(s): Jewelry

Summary: Employee-owned jewelry chain GM Pollack, which was family-owned until 2009, began shutting down stores in June but did not originally plan to close all of its stores. However, the company ultimately announced Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2015 and that it would be dissolving its entire business due to massive debt. This created issues for customers who had previously purchased products as they no longer had a parent company through which to claim warranties.

Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea (A&P)

Date: July 2015

Category/Product(s): Grocery

Summary: In a second bankruptcy within 5 years, or “Chapter 22,” the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. (which owned the A&P supermarket chain) chose to sell 125 stores and close 25 in efforts to save jobs and pay creditors. The parent company faced financial difficulties, internal strategy issues, and industry shifts that ultimately led to bankruptcy.

Frederick’s of Hollywood

Date: April 2015

Category/Product(s): Lingerie chain

Summary: Frederick’s of Hollywood filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2015, blaming increased competition and decreased mall shopping for its demise. The company was acquired by Authentic Brands Group for $22.5M, and relaunched as an online-only business. The business had not turned a profit since 2007, listing $36.5M in assets and roughly $106M in liabilities. The Authentic Brand buyout was completed in June 2015.

Karmaloop

Date: March 2015

Category/Product(s): Clothing

Summary: Karmaloop filed for bankruptcy in March 2015 with $100M in debt. Once a popular online destination for streetwear, the company launched a series of ill-fated and pricey business ventures, including a failed $14M attempt to cross over into television. In May 2015, Comvest Capital and CapX Partners bought Karmaloop out of bankruptcy for $13M. They sold the company a year later to Shiekh Shoes.

radioshack

Date: March 2015

Category/Product(s): Electronics

Summary: RadioShack’s first bankruptcy in March 2015 was an early indication that the company wasn’t prepared for the rise of mobile phones or competition from the likes of Best Buy and Amazon. Following this initial bankruptcy, RadioShack emerged as a private company after being bought by General Wireless, an affiliate of hedge fund Standard General LP.

Cache

Date: February 2015

Category/Product(s): Women’s clothing retailer

Summary: Women’s clothing retailer Cache filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2015, citing a lack of time and money to reorganize. At the time of the filing, the New York company said it would continue to run its business, but shutter more than 200 stores and sell or renegotiate some of its leases. The retailer received about $22M in financing from Salus Capital Partners to maintain operations during the process.

Wet Seal

Date: January 2015

Category/Product(s): Women’s apparel

Summary: After announcing the closure of two-thirds of its retail locations, Wet Seal declared bankruptcy in January 2015. The brand was not able to innovate fast enough as it faced competitive pressure from fast fashion brands like H&M and Zara. Wet Seal was subsequently bought by private equity firm Versa and its struggles ushered in a wave of bankruptcies for other mall-based teen apparel chains.

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