Gymboree Bankruptcy Aims To Save Colorado’s Janie And Jack Stores

DENVER, CO – If you have Gymboree or Crazy 8 gift cards for children's clothes, better rush to a local location to cash them in this week, before the chain's bankruptcy is official.

Children’s clothing retailer the Gymboree Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as expected Wednesday and said it will close 800 stores. But the company is working to save its 140 upscale Janie and Jack stores. Under the bankruptcy plan, the retail chain would close more than 800 Gymboree and Crazy 8 stores, including some in Colorado.

The stores could close as early as this week, according to reports.

Here's a list of Gymboree and Crazy 8 locations in Colorado:

Gymboree

• Colorado Mills: 14500 W. Colfax Ave., Space #246 Lakewood, CO 80401
• Park Meadows: 8405 Park Meadows Center Dr., Suite 1060 Littleton, CO 80124
• Southlands Town Center 6150 South Main Street, Ste. #I-107 Aurora, CO 80016
• Outlets at Castle Rock 5050 Factory Shops Blvd., Ste. # 660 Castle Rock, CO 80108
• Outlets at Loveland 5741 McWhinney Blvd, Space A330 Loveland, CO 80538

Crazy 8

• The Orchard Town Center: 14644 Orchard Pkwy #900, Westminster, CO 80023
• Town Center At Aurora: 14200 E Alameda Ave Suite 1048A, Aurora, CO 80012
• Colorado Mills: 14500 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood, CO 80401

In addition to seeking a buyer for its Janie and Jack stores, the Gymboree Group wants to sell its intellectual property and online platform. Gymboree Play & Music, which offers developmental play music and art classes for young children and separated from the Gymboree Group in 2016 to become a standalone company, isn’t affected by the bankruptcy filing.

In metro Denver, the Gymboree Group has five Gymboree stores and three Crazy 8 stores, as well as a Janie and Jack store at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center.

In its bankruptcy filing, the Gymboree Group asked the court to allow it to continue honoring gift certificates to all of its store brands for 30 days, but it immediately ended its GymBucks and Gymboree Rewards programs, Business Insider reported.

Though “highly disappointed” that it must close its Gymboree and Crazy 8 stores, Gymboree Group CEO Shaz Kahng said in a statement that “we are focused on using this process to preserve the Janie and Jack business — a strong brand that is poised to grow — by pursuing the sale of the business as a going concern.”

“As we move ahead, we are working to minimize the impact on our employees, customers, vendors and other stakeholders,” he said.

Like many brick-and-mortar stores, Gymboree has struggled to remain afloat against increased online competition.

The company first filed for bankruptcy in July 2017 and closed 350 stores. At the time, the company said in a statement that closing those stores would allow the company to “continue to deliver quality merchandise and superior service to our customers.”

That action allowed the company to shed $900 million in debt.

By Beth Dalbey, Patch National Staff

Photo: Renee Schiavone / Patch

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