Popular Retail Chain Closing 16 Illinois Locations

ILLINOIS — Liquidation sales are underway as mall-based teen accessories retailer Claire's heads into bankruptcy.

Claire's Holdings LLC announced last week that it had sold its North American business to private equity firm Ames Watson for $104 million. The company also listed more than 290 stores it planned to close in a court filing on Monday.

The closings include 235 Claire's locations in the United States and 56 Icing stores.

The move comes after the company filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, the second time since 2018.

These are the Illinois stores slated for closure:

• Bloomingdale Court, 320 100 W Army Trail Road, Bloomingdale
• Pulaski Promenade, 4114 S Pulaski Road, Chicago
• Southport Corridor, 3530 N Southport, Chicago
• Riverpoint Center, 1730 W Fullerton Ave., Chicago
• Danada Square West, 104 Danada Square West, Wheaton
• Cross County Mall, 700 E Broadway East, Mattoon
• Eastland Mall, 1603 East Empire St., Bloomington
• Northbrook Court, 2242 Northbrook Court, Northbrook
• Hickory Point Mall, 1310 Hickory Point Mall, Forsyth
• The Promenade, 623 East Boughton Road, Bolingbrook
• Times Square Mall, 3917 Broadway St., Mount Vernon
• Southpark Mall, 4500 16th St., Moline
• Deer Park Town Center, 20530 North Rand Road, Deer Park
• Market Place Mall, 2000 N Neil St., Champaign
• Cherryvale Mall, 7200 Harrison Ave., Rockford
• St. Clair Square, 248 St Clair Square, Fairview Heights

While some stores are closing in Illinois, others will remain open as they continue to bring in business, the company said.

Liquidation sales will continue at the stores set for closure, according to the company. It's unclear when the stores will close, but a spokesperson told USA Today they will happen on a rolling basis.

Claire's and Icing have long been go-to locations for entry-level ear-piercing and teen accessories, but the company is struggling with a big debt accumulation and a shift in consumer habits to online shopping, according to an Aug. 6 bankruptcy filing.

Claire's operates more than 2,750 stores in 17 countries throughout North America and Europe, and 190 Icing stores in North America.

In a court filing, Claire's said its assets and liabilities range between $1 billion and $10 billion.

“This decision is difficult, but a necessary one,” Claire's CEO, Chris Cramer, said in an accompanying new release issued at the time of the filing. "Increased competition, consumer spending trends and the ongoing shift away from brick-and-mortar retail, in combination with our current debt obligations and macroeconomic factors, necessitate this course of action for Claire’s and its stakeholders."

In a statement, Lawrence Berger, co-founder of Ames Watson, said the company plans to preserve a significant retail footprint across North America.

"Claire's has built a powerful emotional connection with generations of consumers through its focus on self-expression, creativity, and accessible fashion," Berger said. "We are committed to investing in its future."

Patch Editor Megan VerHelst contributed to this report.