Popular Retail Chain Closing 6 Virginia 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.

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

These are the Virginia stores slated for closure:

• Mount Vernon Plaza, 7678-C Richmond Hwy. #12, Alexandria
• Spotsylvania Town Center, 675 Spotsylvania Mall Dr., Fredericksburg
• Dulles Town Center, 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles
• Greenbrier Mall, 1401 Greenbrier Pkwy., Chesapeake
• Uptown Christiansburg, 782 New River Rd. NW Ste. 837, Christiansburg
• Valley Mall, 1925 E. Market St., Harrisonburg

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."

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