The year 2020 has been a difficult one for many businesses, and the retail sector has been particularly hard hit. With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, many retailers have been forced to close their doors, leading to an unprecedented number of bankruptcies. J. C.
Penney, Neiman Marcus, Guitar Center, Tailored Brands, Ascena Retail Group, GNC, J. Crew, Brooks Brothers, Stein Mart, and Pier 1 Imports are just some of the companies that have filed for bankruptcy this year. Penney was already struggling with debt before the pandemic hit, but the crisis exacerbated their problems and forced them to close more than 150 stores. Neiman Marcus was able to reduce its debt burden and create a new board of directors with the help of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Guitar Center was also affected by the pandemic-induced store closures and had to turn to the internet for sales. Tailored Brands had to close up to 500 stores and reduce its corporate workforce by 20%, while Ascena Retail Group had to work to win over a generation of younger consumers looking for comfortable, casual clothing. GNC filed for Chapter 11 in June in an effort to reduce its debt and strengthen its finances. Crew filed for bankruptcy in May and hoped to spin off its Madewell brand into an IPO that could help pay its debt burden. Brooks Brothers had to rethink its retail strategy due to the pandemic and started closing dozens of stores.
Stein Mart liquidated all 281 stores after filing for Chapter 11 protection in August, while Pier 1 Imports was forced to liquidate all of its stores after failing to find a buyer. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the retail sector, leading to an unprecedented number of bankruptcies in 2020. Companies have had to close stores, reduce their workforce, and rethink their retail strategies in order to survive this difficult period. It remains to be seen how many more companies will be forced into bankruptcy before the pandemic is over.
