U.S. Chapter 11 Retail Industry Bankruptcy Filings, Complete List

This complete list of 2009 Retail Chapter 11 companies is arranged according to the date of the reorganization filing. The most recent updates are indicated by bold text. (Updated 12-15-09.)

Old Time Pottery

• Filed Chapter 11 August 28, 2009
• Operates 37 stores in 12 states
• Does not plan to close stores or layoff employees at the time of filing
• Will restructure its business model and replace its primary line of credit

Sacino & Sons

• Filed Chapter 11 August 29, 2009
• Closed four of its in Clearwater, Miami and Tampa
• May close three more of its 15 Florida stores
• Hopes to renegotiate leases and emerge from bankruptcy to continue operating the chain

Samsonite

• Filed Chapter 11 on September 2, 1009
• Plans to liquidate 84 of its 173 stores in 38 states, which it intends to close by November 30, 2009
• Plans to pay all creditors in full and emerge from Chapter 11 in no more than 90 days

Shumate Motorsports

• Filed Chapter 11 on September 11, 2009
• Will close two of its four motorcycle stores in Washington and Idaho

XP Entertainment LLP/XP Event

• Filed Chapter 11 on September 30, 2009.
• Chapter 11 proceedings will not effect the contract to sell merchandise at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver because that contract is held by its Canadian affiliate.

Bath Junkie

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 1, 2009.
• All franchise locations will continue to operate during Chapter 11 proceedings.
• A creditor's meeting is scheduled for November 1, 2009.
• Owner Judy Zimmer had also filed personal bankruptcy on September 15, 2009.

A&M Carpet

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 2, 2009
• Will close two of its four California locations.
• Laid off 25 employees.

Hudson's Furniture Showroom

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 21, 2009
• A bank had started foreclosure proceedings against 4 stores owned by Fred Hudson as part of a property deal
• Plans to keep all fifteen Hudson's stores open in Florida and North Carolina

Igourmet

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 22, 2009
• Is owned by founder Spencer Chesman, and 15 minority partners.

Max & Erma's

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 23, 2009
• Owned by G&R Acquisitions, which also owns Damon's restaurant chain, which also filed Chapter 11 on October 28, 2009.
• Operates 105 units and was planning to sell corporate-owned units to franchisees to pay down debt. to replace
• Eleven franchise owners are trying to get the U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge to appoint a chief reorgnization officer to replace Gary Reinert, Sr. while the company is in Chapter 11..

Super 88 Supermarkets

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 26, 2009
• Filed Chapter 11 after the sale of the chain to a New York firm fell through
• Still operating 3 stores in Boston

Damon's Grill

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 28, 2009
• Owned by G&R Acquisitions, which also owns Max and Erma's restaurant chain, which also filed Chapter 11 on October 23, 2009.
• Closed 2 restaurants in October, 2009, and now operates 49 restaurants.
• Equity in this chain was used as collateral on a loan for the Max And Erma's restaurant chain.

Ham's Restaurants

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 28, 2009
• Has 20 locations in North Carolina and Virginia, and employs more than 1,000 people.
• Closed two restaurants in October, 2009, but does not plan to close any additional locations during the bankruptcy process.

Crabtree & Evelyn

• Filed Chapter 11 on October 28, 2009
• Closed 30 of its 126 stores in the U.S.
• Hopes to secure exit financing to pay off debort-in-possession financing from its parent company, Britain's Crabtree & Evelyn Holdings Ltd.

Simmons Bedding

• Filed Chapter 11 on November 16, 2009
• Filed a prepackaged plan in which Ares Management and a division of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan would acquire all the operations, and reduce debt from $1 billion to $450 million.
• Expects to emerge from Chapter 11 within 60 days.

Penn Traffic

• Filed Chapter 11 on November 18, 2009
• Operates 79 stores in Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire under the names of P&C, Quality Markets, and BiLo Foods.
• The company plans to sell all of its stores and assets.
• If a buyer cannot be found, the chain will be liquidated in Feburary, 2010 and 4,100 employees will be laid off.
• Price Chopper made a stalking horse bid of $12.3 million for four NY stores on December 4, 2009.

Boston Blackie’s

• Filed Chapter 11 on December 3, 2009
• Operates 8 restuarants in the Chicago area, and plans on continuing operating all locations while it reorganizes its debts.

Bully’s Sports Bar & Grill

• Filed Chapter 11 on December 7, 2009
• Will contnue to operate all 13 locations in northern Nevada during the reorganization.

The Walking Company

• Filed Chapter 11 on December 7, 2009
• Hopes to renegotiate leasses and close unprofitable stores as part of the reorganization process.
• Plans to continue operating 210 stores during the reorganization process.

Robbins Diamonds and Robbins Delaware Diamonds

• Filed Chapter 11 on December 8, 2009
• Plans to continue operating stores during the reorganization process.

Under any other circumstances, joining this club of well-known retail brands would be considered an honor. Unfortunately, though, the qualifications for membership in the 2008-2009 Chapter 11 Retail Club are declining revenues, loss of market share, and crippling debt.

Companies that seek Chapter 11 protection are down, but they’re not yet ready to count themselves out of the retail game. Using history as a benchmark, independent long-term survival beyond Chapter 11 is not likely. But retailers like Federated Stores (Macy’s), Southland (7-11), and Winn Dixie, along with notables from other industries like Continental Airlines have proven that it’s not impossible.