Tampa Bay Aeropostale Stores May Close

Tampa Bay area teens who love shopping at the region’s Aeropostale stores may soon have to take their business elsewhere or make purchases online.

The clothing retailer on Wednesday announced it had filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and plans to close 113 locations nationwide as part of a restructuring effort. All 41 stores in Canada will also close.

A full listing of stores slated for closing is expected Wednesday afternoon. The closings are set to begin in the United States starting on May 7.

“The most important thing to know is that Aeropostale stores are open, and we fully intend to continue selling the latest styles at the same great prices both in stores and online,” Julian R. Geiger, CEO, said in a statement. “We also expect to honor all gift cards in full, offer new store promotions, (and) continue employee wages and benefits without interruption.”

Aeropostale currently operates 739 stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. It has 57 locations in Florida. Stores in the Tampa Bay area include locations in Brandon, Clearwater, Sarasota, Citrus Park, St. Petersburg, Port Richey, Tampa and Wesley Chapel.

Aeropostale is just the latest in a string of retail bankruptcy filings. Other recent filings have include the Sports Authority and Wet Seal.

Aeopostale plans to post a listing of affected stores around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The company's decision to file Chapter 11 means it is asking for protection from creditors while it undergoes a reorganization. The closings are part of that reorganization. 

This is a developing story. Refresh the page for updates as they become available.

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