Popular Retail Chain Closing 11 Michigan Locations

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 Michigan stores slated for closure:

• Brighton: 9775 Village Place Blvd.
• Howell: 175 N. Burk Hart Road
• Taylor: 23000 Eureka Road 1065 (store also is on the not closing list)
• Walker: 3286A Alpine Ave. NW 119
• Byron Center: 350 84th St. SW 903
• Westland: 350 84th St. SW 903
• Livonia: 37658 W. 6 Mile Road D230
• Fort Gratiot: 4350 24th Ave.
• Saginaw: 4787 Fashion Square D434 (store also is on the not closing list)
• Chesterfield: 50607 Waterside Drive
• Muskegon: 5600 Harvey St.

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

Michigan stores that will stay open include:

• Ann Arbor
• Auburn Hills
• Birch Run
• Clinton Township
• Dearborn
• Flint
• Grandville
• Jackson
• Kentwood
• Lansing
• Midland
• Muskegon
• Novi
• Okemos
• Portage
• Rochester Hills
• Roseville
• Saginaw
• Taylor
• Traverse City
• Troy (2)

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.