Jewelry chain Claire’s, a mall mainstay that claims to have pierced 100 million ears of young girls, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than a decade, the latest brick-and-mortar retailer to succumb to changing consumer trends.
CEO Chris Cramer said the 64-year-old company filed for bankruptcy protection because of “increased competition, consumer spending trends and the ongoing shift away from brick-and-mortar retail.”
More than 1,300 Claire’s and sister retailer Icing locations will shutter, including 25 Claire’s and one Icing store in New Jersey. The closures include Claire’s latest location at American Dream in East Rutherford, which opened in June.
Claire’s parent Claire’s Holdings will close 1,344 Claire’s and Icing stores, as well as its warehouse and corporate offices at its Hoffman Estates, Ill., headquarters, 208 retail locations in Walmarts in the U.S. and concessions locations, according to court records. Claire’s plans to close the first group of stores no later than Sept. 7. It will hold store-closing sales at its other locations on its closure list from Aug. 8 through Oct. 31, depending on agreements with store landlords.
Claire’s operates more than 2,750 stores in 17 countries in North American and Europe.
The company said it “continues to explore all strategic alternatives,” according to a statement from the company.
According to bankruptcy filings, Claire’s has between $1 billion and $10 billion in debt. Like many retailers before, Claire’s has been hurt by Amazon and new competitors such as Australian jewelry chain Lovisa and fast-fashion retailers Temu and Shein.
Here is the list of Claire’s stores closing in New Jersey:
- Blackwood: Gloucester Premium Outlets, 100 Premium Outlet Drive
- Bridgewater: Bridgewater Commons, 400 Common Way
- Cherry Hill: Cherry Hill Mall, 2000 Route 38
- Clifton: River Front Center, 358 Route 3 West
- Deptford: Deptford Mall, 1750 Deptford Ctr Road
- East Brunswick: Brunswick Square, 755 Highway 18
- East Rutherford: American Dream, 1 American Dream Way
- Edison: Menlo Park Mall, 386 Menlo Park
- Elizabeth: Jersey Gardens, 651 Kapowski Road
- Freehold: Freehold Raceway Mall, 3710 Route 9
- Jersey City: Newport Centre, 30 Mall Drive West
- Lawrenceville: Quaker Bridge Mall, 255 Quaker Bridge Mall
- Livingston: Livingston Mall
- Mays Landing: Hamilton Mall, 4403 Black Horse Pike
- Moorestown: Moorestown Mall, Route 38
- Paramus: Bergen Mall, 2701 Bergen Town Center
- Paramus: Garden State Plaza, 1 Garden State Plaza Blvd.
- Paramus: Paramus Park, 700 Paramus Park Mall
- Rockaway: Rockaway Town Square, 133 Rockaway Town Sq. Mall
- Tinton Falls: Jersey Shore Premium Outlets, 1 Premium Outlet Blvd.
- Toms River: Ocean County Mall, 1201 Hooper Ave.
- Vineland: Cumberland Mall, 3849 South Delsea Drive
- Wayne: Willowbrook Mall, 1398 Willowbrook Mall
- Westfield: 141 E Broad St.
- Woodbridge: Woodbridge Center, 413 Woodbridge Center Drive
There are four Icing locations in New Jersey that may close: Edison: Menlo Park Mall, 55 Parsonage Road; Toms River: Ocean County Mall, 1201 Hooper Ave.; Wayne: Willowbrook Mall, 2702 Willowbrook Mall; and Deptford: 1750 Deptford Center Road.
Claire’s claims it has pierced 100 million ears, more ears than any retailer. All of its associates are required to complete the company’s ear-piercing training program.
