ONE-third of Fletcher Jones stores will close and 61 staff made redundant as the administrators seek to save the clothing business through a sale.

Administrator Cor Cordis said 15 Fletcher Jones stores across Australia would close immediately, while 53 retail staff and eight head office staff have taken redundancies.

A remaining 30 stores will continue to trade as normal.

"As administrators it was important that we acted quickly to shore up the viability of Fletcher Jones to make it an attractive acquisition so it can keep trading," Cor Cordis managing partner Bruno Secatore said today.

Fletcher Jones was placed in administration last week after almost a century in business, becoming the latest victim of the retail slump.

It owes about $1 million in staff entitlements and about $8.5 million in debt to unsecured creditors with about half of that owed to shareholders.

Mr Secatore said the administrators had received a better-than-expected response from companies interested in buying Fletcher Jones.

Indicative offers are due by December 23, and a more conclusive picture of the future of the brand will be provided early in the new year, Mr Secatore said.