Gymboree Gift Cards: Use Them Or Lose Them In Virginia

VIRGINIA — If you have Gymboree gift cards, you only have a few days left to use them at the children’s clothing retailer’s Gymboree and Crazy 8 stores in Virginia. The parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month and is in the process of closing all but its upscale Janie and Jack stores.

The deadline to redeem the Gymboree and Crazy 8 gift cards is Saturday, Feb. 16. The deadline to return merchandise was Friday, Feb. 1. The stores are offering deep discounts, so now is a good time to go shopping.

In Virginia, the Gymboree Group has several Gymboree stores and four Crazy 8 stores in northern Virginia and Richmond, as well as three Janie and Jack stores. Find all of the company's locations on the Gymboree website.

In its bankruptcy filing, the Gymboree Group said it was seeking a buyer for its Janie and Jack stores. Gymboree Play & Music, which offers developmental play, music and art classes for young children and separated from the Gymboree Group in 2016 to become a standalone company, isn’t affected by the bankruptcy filing.

The Janie and Jack stores that could stay open are:

• Tyson's Corner Center, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, McLean
• Fair Oaks Mall, 11808U Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax
• Potomac Mills, 2700 Potomac Mills Circle, Unit #944, Woodbridge

In the filing, the retailer said that though it would honor the gift cards, it was halting its GymBucks and Gymboree Rewards programs.

Though “highly disappointed” that it must close its Gymboree and Crazy 8 stores, Gymboree Group CEO Shaz Kahng said in a statement at the time of the bankruptcy filing that “we are focused on using this process to preserve the Janie and Jack business — a strong brand that is poised to grow — by pursuing the sale of the business as a going concern.”

“As we move ahead, we are working to minimize the impact on our employees, customers, vendors and other stakeholders,” he said.

Like many brick-and-mortar stores, Gymboree has struggled to remain afloat against increased online competition.

The company first filed for bankruptcy in July 2017 and closed 350 stores. At the time, the company said in a statement that closing those stores would allow the company to “continue to deliver quality merchandise and superior service to our customers.”

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Photo: Renee Schiavone / Patch