Petaluma, CA-based candles cataloger/retailer Illuminations has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing was necessitated after the company built up a huge amount of debt to fund expansion. According to a statement, Illuminations plans to close some of its 77 stores, but it hasn’t revealed any changes in its catalog or online strategy.
The eight-year-old company, which was founded as a cataloger only, is privately held by venture capital groups. According to the Santa Rosa “Press Democrat,” Illuminations’ overall sales reached $113 million in 2001 before dipping to $100 million in ’02.
Calls to Illuminations spokesperson Steve Honig were not returned at press time.