Forever 21, Pier 1: Bad News For 2 Major Retailers In Connecticut

CONNECTICUT — It looks like not everything lasts forever. The retail chain Forever 21 is expected to close up to 178 stores in the United States, and home decor store Pier 1 could close up to 145 of its own locations.

Forever 21 announced it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a letter to customers Sunday.

The teenage clothing store made it clear, though, it wasn’t going out of business, and instead filed for bankruptcy protection as a “deliberate and decisive step to put us on a successful track for the future,” according to the letter.

Pier 1 announced their own possible store closings after reporting low financial results Wednesday.

“As anticipated, our fourth-quarter sales and profitability were disappointing and reflect the execution issues we identified earlier in the year and have been working with urgency to correct,” Cheryl Bachelder, interim Pier 1 CEO, said in a statement.

The two companies join a growing list of brick-and-mortar establishments that have seen a nosedive in revenue and popularity with the emergence of e-commerce companies such as Amazon and Walmart.

“We are confident this is the right path for the long-term health of our business,” Forever 21 said in the letter to customers. “Once we complete a reorganization, Forever 21 will be a stronger, more viable company that is better positioned to prosper for years to come.”

Neither chain has yet specified the locations that will be closed. Patch will continue to update this story once there is news on which locations may close in Connecticut.

Here are the Forever 21 locations in Connecticut:

• Meriden Square Mall — 470 Lewis Ave, Meriden
• Westfarms Mall — 155 Westfarms Mall, Farmington
• Danbury Fair — 7 Backus Avenue, Danbury
• Connecticut Post — 1201 Boston Post Road, Milford
• Trumbull Shopping Park — 5065 Main Street, Trumbull

Here are the Pier 1 locations in Connecticut:

• Norwalk — 777 Connecticut Ave
• Fairfield — 2264 Black Rock Turnpike
• Danbury — 1 Sugar Hollow Rd
• Southbury — 775 Main Street South
• Milford — 98 Turnpike Square
• Branford — 1078 West Main St
• Hamden — 2335 Dixwell Ave
• Old Saybrook — 665 Boston Post Rd
• Bristol — 594 Farmington Ave
• Avon — 385 West Main St
• Newington — 2661 Berlin Turnpike
• Glastonbury — 2838 Main Street
• South Windsor — 69 Evergreen Way
• Enfield — 34 Hazard Ave

Forever 21 saw its revenue decrease to $3.3 billion last year, down from $4.4 billion in 2016, according to the New York Times. The company also has laid off more than 10,000 people since 2016.

Pier 1 has been dealing with its own recent troubles. It had to close 30 stores at the end of its fiscal year in March, and the new closures could affect 15 percent of its outlets.

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