Forever 21 May Close These NYC Stores This Year

NEW YORK — The retail chain Forever 21 could close 178 stores by the end of this year as it goes through bankruptcy proceedings — and four of them are in New York City.

The apparel retailer released a list of the locations on the chopping block in a Tuesday bankruptcy filing. The "underperforming" stores are expected to be sold and closed by Dec. 31, though the company may not shutter all of them as it continues negotiations with landlords, the filing says.

Forever 21 announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a letter to customers Sunday.

Here are the Forever 21 locations expected to close in New York City:

• 568 Broadway, SoHo
• 490 Fulton St., Downtown Brooklyn
• 5301 Kings Plaza (Kings Plaza Mall), Mill Basin
• 185 Greenwich St. (Westfield World Trade Center), Financial District

Forever 21 saw its revenue decrease to $3.3 billion last year, down from $4.4 billion in 2016, according to The New York Times. The company also has laid off more than 10,000 people since 2016.

The teenage clothing store made it clear, though, that it wasn’t going out of business, and instead filed for bankruptcy protection as a "deliberate and decisive step to put us on a successful track for the future," according to the letter.

"We are confident this is the right path for the long-term health of our business," Forever 21 said in the letter to customers. "Once we complete a reorganization, Forever 21 will be a stronger, more viable company that is better positioned to prosper for years to come."

Patch editor Gus Saltonstall contributed to this report.