Ascena Retail Group filed a court filing Thursday that lists more than 1,100 store closings across the country, including the two Duluth stores. In addition to Justice and Lane Bryant, Ascena is also the parent company of Ann Taylor, Catherines, Loft, and Lou & Gray, and owns nearly 2,800 total locations prior to closing.
Ascena said gift cards, merchandise credits and customer rewards programs will continue to be valid during store closing events.
Duluth-based Maurices was owned by Ascena until last year, but is no longer owned by the company.
Ascena has been dragged down by debt and weak sales for years. He joins other retailers who have filed for bankruptcy in recent weeks, including Brooks Brothers, Neiman Marcus, JC Penney, and J. Crew.
These retailers were already struggling with low sales, but the forced closure of stores in March to reduce the spread of the coronavirus put them in greater danger. Experts believe there will be another wave of bankruptcies this fall that will include companies that had been healthy before the pandemic.
The Ascena closings will include all Catherines stores and all stores owned by Ascena brands in Canada. Ascena plans to sell the intellectual property and e-commerce rights to the Catherines name to City Chic.
