Missy Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 It's official, every Circuit City store is closing its doors: Circuit City and liquidators to sell off merchandise in remaining 567 US stores By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM and VINNEE TONG Bankrupt Circuit City Stores Inc., the nation's second-biggest consumer electronics retailer, said Friday it failed to find a buyer and will liquidate its 567 U.S. stores. The closures could send another 30,000 people into the ranks of the unemployed. "This is the only possible path for our company," James A. Marcum, acting chief executive, said in a statement. "We are extremely disappointed by this outcome." The company had been seeking a buyer or a deal to refinance its debt, but the hobbled credit market and consumer worries proved insurmountable. The liquidation of Circuit City is the latest fallout from the worst holiday shopping season in four decases. People have slashed their spending since the financial meltdown in September as they worry about their job security and declining retirement funds. Other recent casualties include KB Toys, which filed for bankruptcy in December and is liquidating stores. Department store chains Goody's Family Clothing and Gottschalks Inc. both filed for bankruptcy this week — Goody's plans to liquidate, while Gottschalks hopes to reorganize. Industry experts expect more bad news in the coming months as spending likely will deteriorate further. Circuit City said in court papers it has appointed Great American Group LLC, Hudson Capital Partners LLC, SB Capital Group LLC and Tiger Capital Group LLC as liquidators. "Regrettably for the more than 30,000 employees of Circuit City and our loyal customers, we were unable to reach an agreement with our creditors and lenders," Marcum said. Shareholders are likely to receive nothing, as is typical in bankruptcy cases. It was unclear what would happen to the company's 765 retail stores and dealer outlets in Canada. "Very, very sad," said Alan L. Wurtzel, the son of company founder Samuel S. Wurtzel, and the chief executive from 1972 to 1986, board chairman from 1986 to 1994 and vice chairman until 2001. "I feel particularly badly for the people are employed or until recently were employed." Wurtzel has previously said Circuit City didn't take the threat of rival Best Buy Co. seriously enough and, at some points, were too focused on making a profit in the short term instead of building long-term value. Circuit City filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November as vendors started to restrict the flow of merchandise ahead of the busy holiday shopping season. It had been exploring strategic alternatives since May, when it opened its books to Blockbuster Inc. The Dallas-based movie-rental chain made a takeover bid of more than $1 billion with plans to create a 9,300-store chain to sell electronic gadgets and rent movies and games. Blockbuster withdrew the bid in July because of market conditions. Circuit City, which said it had $3.4 billion in assets and $2.32 billion in liabilities as of Aug. 31, said in its initial filings that it planned to emerge from court protection in the first half of this year. Under court protection, Circuit City has broken 150 leases at locations where it no longer operates stores. The company already closed 155 stores in the U.S. in November and December. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Huennekens had given the company permission to liquidate if a buyout was not achieved. The company still needs final approval of a liquidation from the court. The liquidation is the latest big blow to the nation's malls, which have suffered from a rise in vacancies as a slew of chains from Mervyns LLC to Linens 'N Things have liquidated. But analysts say that the demise of Circuit City, whose stores range in size from 20,000 to 25,000 square feet, will hurt the fortunes of mall operators even more. "It will bring to market a glut of big box spaces across the country," said John Bemis, head of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.'s retail leasing team. "It will have one of the largest impacts on big box real estate across the country." Source Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I hate to see all those employees on the street, but good riddance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James D. Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 A fundamental lesson to learn in a free-market economy: If you treat your customers like shit and run your business like you're a bunch of retarded sloths, then you will go out of business. Sayonara, CC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I hate to see all those employees on the street, but good riddance. I fully agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 A fundamental lesson to learn in a free-market economy: If you treat your customers like shit and run your business like you're a bunch of retarded sloths, then you will go out of business. Sayonara, CC. Unless you're a bank or a major automotive company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James D. Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 A fundamental lesson to learn in a free-market economy: If you treat your customers like shit and run your business like you're a bunch of retarded sloths, then you will go out of business. Sayonara, CC. Unless you're a bank or a major automotive company. Yeah, Big Daddy Gubby takes care of you then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Right. Your government has enough money to bail out bad business practitioners but not enough to spend 1/3 of that money on a year of universal health care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Right. Your government has enough money to bail out bad business practitioners but not enough to spend 1/3 of that money on a year of universal health care. But that would lead to Socialism! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Right. Your government has enough money to bail out bad business practitioners but not enough to spend 1/3 of that money on a year of universal health care. But that would lead to Socialism! You say Socialism, I say returns for taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drqshadow Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 As a former long-term employee, I'll mourn the end of Circuit City because I still have a lot of friends working there. As an electronics enthusiast, I'm overjoyed about the kind of bargains I'm about to enjoy. As a member of the American economy, I'm worried to see the #2 electronics retailer in the world going under, with #1 not doing a whole heck of a lot better. But in the end, I'll chalk this up to karma for trying to get DIVX off the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackFetch Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I stopped shopping there years ago because they are expensive as hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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