A POPULAR discount clothing store in the North East is closing all its stores after filing for bankruptcy.
Bob’s Stores initially announced it would close a select number of stores before revealing that all locations would close.
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Unfortunately, the retailer was unable to secure the finances to continue operations as normal.
In recent days, stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island have been holding “going out” sales.
Shoppers can find items up to 70% off on all items, including footwear and team apparel.
Bob’s sells brands like Nike, Adidas and Carhartt, as well as clothing from NFL, NBA and MLB teams.
read more about store closures
The company announced that the last day of business is July 14th.
“We regret that our financial situation has required the liquidation of Bob’s Stores,” said Dave Barton, president of Bob’s Stores.
“Bob’s has been a champion of our local communities for almost 70 years and we know that our customers remember us as having been there at important moments in their lives.
“We remain grateful to our vendors, suppliers, customers and employees for all of their support over the years.”
CUSTOMER REACTION
Despite the deals offered by the sale, customers were still heartbroken to learn of the closures.
“Amazon wins again,” wrote shopper Kevin (@imkevinbrooks) in X.
“As a resident of Southington, it is disappointing. There is no other place in town to buy sneakers,” wrote one shopper who frequently visited a Connecticut location.
Another resident said the closures came as a surprise.
“Just got the news that Bob’s Stores Footwear & Apparel is closing this Sunday, the very quick closing took us by surprise, come in now to use your gift cards and rewards,” they wrote.
However, retail experts say they saw this coming.
“Bob’s and EMS know how to run good, profitable, productive stores that offer great merchandise at great value,” said Burt Flickinger III, managing director of retail and consumer goods consulting firm Strategic Resource Group. CT Insider.
“But they are facing a growing retail ice age.”
Bob’s Stores and EMS store closures
Bob’s Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports announced 10 closures across the East Coast.
The Bob’s Stores that plan to close are:
- Hamden, CT
- Southington, Connecticut
- Freehold, NJ
- Watchung, NJ
Eastern Mountain Sports store closings include:
- Burlington, Massachusetts
- Deptford, New Jersey
- Porto Livre, ME
- Hyannis, MA
EMS locations in Albany, NY and Manchester, NH are now closed.
Exact closing dates have not been disclosed.
According to SGB Media
Eastern Mountain Sports is another retailer owned by Bob’s parent company, GoDigital Media Group.
“While GoDigital Media Group has invested significant resources to support, scale and restructure operations and work to revitalize the business, we face substantial financial challenges – a market upheaval from April 2023, rising interest rates and inflation – all of which impacted the company’s performance,” the company wrote in a statement after filing for bankruptcy.
“This restructuring is a necessary step to enable a healthy business that can continue to serve its communities and grow in the years to come.”
Another popular discount retailer has confirmed another closure as it struggles to close for good.
Walgreens announced the closure of 26 stores as it revealed that up to 25% of its stores could close.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
