Iconic Lord & Taylor Brand Vanishing From CT Retail Landscape

CONNECTICUT — Connecticut's Lord & Taylor stores are doomed for closure as the nation's oldest chain of department stores slogs through a bog of bankruptcy proceedings.

The Nutmeg State stores are located at malls on the Farmington-West Hartford line, in Trumbull, and in Danbury. There is a freestanding store in Stamford as well that is considered a retail landmark.

In a news release, the company said it is closing three Connecticut locations including, Farmington, Trumbull and Danbury. There was no mention of the Stamford location.

Lord & Taylor parent Le Tote filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Sunday. In the filing, the company disclosed that two liquidation specialists — Hilco Merchants Resources and Gordan Brothers Retail Partners — have been retained to administer closing sales at all 38 locations.

Le Tote would sell off its most profitable stores if a buyer comes forward, according to the filing. Signs promoting store closing sales went up at many Lord & Taylor locations Monday morning.

Lord & Taylor was founded in 1826 and is currently the oldest department store chain in the country.

But modern-day struggles have emerged. According to Le Tote, they include:

• A challenging commercial environment brought on by adverse macro-trends, including increased competition among both online retailers and established brick-and-mortar retailers with less debt and greater economies of scale
• A consumer shift away from shopping at brick-and-mortar stores, the company said.
• A "devastating impact" brought on by the coronavirus pandemic

"Given the expenses associated with a substantial brick-and-mortar presence, and the issues affecting the retail industry and the nation as a whole, a significant number of the debtors' stores are operating at sub-optimal performance levels," according to the parent company.