Chapter 11 Bankruptcy For Claire’s; Is East Wenatchee Location Closing?
The mall jewelry chain Claire’s has announced it is filing for bankruptcy and is planning to close nearly 20 stores on September 7th. One of the initial closures is in Washington state. More than 1,000 locations could be shuttered if no buyer emerges.
Claire hopes to sell 800 locations immediately
Claire's sells jewelry, fashion accessories, and beauty and makeup products, typically in a mall setting.
Claire's nearest location is at Wenatchee Valley Mall in East Wenatchee, but it operates 15 stores in Washington state
Valley Mall, Union Gap
Factory Stores, North Bend
Redmond Town Center
Factoria Square, Bellevue
Woodinville Plaza
Bellevue Square
The Outlet Collection, Auburn
Southcenter Mall, Tukwila
Seatac Village, Federal Way
South Hill Mall, Puyallup
Alderwood Mall, Lynnwood
Westlake Center, Downtown Seattle
Columbia Center, Kennewick
Seattle Premium Outlets, Quilceda
Here are the first 18 stores targeted for a September 7th closure:
Woodinville Plaza, Woodinville, Washington
Eastdale Mall, Montgomery, Alabama
Newpark Mall, Newark, California
Ford City Mall, Chicago
Market Street, Lynnfield, Massachusetts
Bay City Town Center, Bay City, Michigan
Northtown Mall, Blaine, Minnesota
Livingston Mall, Livingston, New Jersey
Uniontown Mall, Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Shops at Highland Village, Highland Village, Texas
Pinnacle at Turkey Creek, Knoxville, Tennessee
Junction Commons, Park City, Utah
Provo Town Center, Provo, Utah
Claire also owns Icing, with stores at Tacoma Mall and Kennewick. Five locations are included in the early September closure announcement;
Icing Stores
Riverside, California
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Rochester, New York
Abilene, Texas
Orem, Utah
The early August filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy is Claire's second in 7 years. The company hopes to increase its value and raise cash by selling assets, if it can find a buyer(s).
The factors are attributed to many of the common issues faced by the retail sector: consumer spending trends, less foot traffic in many of its mall locations, more competition, and overall economic pressures.
Can You Still Shop at Claire’s?
In its filing declaration, the company said it plans to maintain liquidity and that its stores will remain open until any announced closure dates.
Major Retail Closures in Washington State: 7 Stores We’ll Miss
Gallery Credit: Rik Mikals