Mall jewelry chain Claire’s, which filed for bankruptcy for the second time on Aug. 6, has also identified over 1,100 stores that could close soon, according to court records, and is looking for a buyer for about 800 remaining locations.
The Illinois-based company, which has 1,326 stores across the U.S., has faced financial challenges due to the rise of fast-fashion brands like Shein and Temu, high rent costs, and new tariffs from supplier nations, including China, based on documents filed with the U.S. bankruptcy court in Delaware.
In court filings obtained by USA TODAY, the company identified 18 Claire’s and Icing stores in the U.S. that will close by Sept. 7 at the latest. Additionally, the company will have to shut down all of its locations if it cannot complete a sale quickly.
Here is what you need to know.
Thousands of stores on the chopping block
In court filings, Claire’s CEO, Chris Cramer, disclosed that the company has recently solicited bids for its business and has received multiple letters of intent to purchase its assets.
Claire’s would “stop the liquidation sales in the event of an actionable going-concern transaction and will continue to make every effort to effectuate such a transaction,” added Cramer.
A list of stores obtained by USA TODAY shows 1,119 stores that could be closed. The list of stores can be searched below.
Court documents reveal list of Claire’s closures
As part of the ongoing bankruptcy process, 18 Claire’s-owned stores are set to close no later than Sept. 7 across the country, with additional stores potentially added to the list, the company said in court records.
A map of closing stores can be found here. Find your local store by searching by city or state:
Founded in 1961 in Chicago, Claire’s specializes in selling necklaces, bracelets, and various accessories including headphones and soft toys. For many American girls, getting their first ear piercing at Claire’s has become a “rite of passage” that has continued for decades. The company claims to have pierced over 100 million ears since 1978.
USA TODAY’s Mike Snider and Reuters contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Claire’s identifies more than 1,100 stores that could soon close
