Alex and Ani, the Rhode Island-based retailer which reached huge popularity a decade ago with its inexpensive bangles and charm bracelets promoting spirituality and good vibes, has filed for has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company, owned by a UK concern, has faced poor sales, lawsuits and internal conflicts.
It was another eventful week in the ongoing saga of retail bankruptcies. Tailored Brands, parent of Jos. A. Bank and Men’s Wearhouse, plans to put a greater emphasis on casual apparel as part of its Chapter 11 filing, while the investment group REV is planning to snatch up assets from both Pier 1 and Modell’s out of bankruptcy court.
A partnership between mall giant Simon Property Group and apparel licensing firm Authentic Brands has made a $305 million bid to acquire the assets and intellectual property of Brooks Brothers out of bankruptcy court, according to various media reports. The partnership, named Sparc LLC, plans to keep at least 125 stores open.
Ascena Retail Group, parent of iconic women’s apparel brands Lane Bryant and Ann Taylor, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and announced plans to shutter 1,600 of the 2,800 stores across its various chains in an effort to reduce its massive debt by $1 billion. The news comes weeks after an executive bonus windfall.
Brooks Brothers, famous for its pinstriped suits worn by 40 of the 45 U.S. presidents and legions of executives since its 1818 founding in New York, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing the impact of COVID-19 as a major factor. The company, with $1 billion in sales and $300 in debt, expects to find a buyer shortly.
Shortly after J.C. Penney filed Chapter 11, Amazon reportedly was in talks about possibly picking up the troubled store chain on the cheap. The plan calls closing 242 of 846 stores by 2021, setting up a real estate investment trust (REIT) to handle the balance of its physical assets and receiving $900 million in debtor-in-possession financing.
What should the growing number of retailers weighing bankruptcy be considering, and what kinds of restructuring plans should they set up? Attorney Thomas Wolford, a partner with Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, gives us an insider’s look at what goes on from filing through re-emergence in this MCM CommerceChat podcast.
Twenty first century loyalty – the degree to which a brand meets customer expectations for their Ideal in a product category – is a KPI that changes before the brand’s economic structure begins to improve or decline. It’s an early warning signal that your brand may be in trouble. And J. Crew’s recent Chapter 11 filing is a prime example.
Similar to XPO Logistics’ decision to postpone its exploration of divesting assets due to current market uncertainty caused by coronavirus, a bankruptcy court judge has granted a 45-day stay on the Chapter 11 filing of sporting goods retailer Modell’s due to the ongoing crisis and its impact on closing sales.
