Three retail stores are expected to close in Southern New England this spring as Eastern Outfitters LLC, the owner of Bob’s and Eastern Mountain Sports, files for bankruptcy again.
Among the 48 stores expected to close across the Northeast are the Eastern Mountain Sports in Middletown, Bob’s Stores in Seekonk and Bob’s Stores in Attleboro, in the plaza where Big Kmart closed in April.
Eastern Outfitters LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 5 in Maryland.
Liquidation sales were set to begin April 12, with final closures, according to the bankruptcy agreement, occurring 10 weeks from that date on June 21.
Eastern Outfitters is moving to sell its assets to Sportsdirect.com Retail Ltd, or Sportsdirect in a private sale.
According to court documents, Sportsdirect has identified, “certain locations that do not make economic sense to operate, particularly if the Debtors are unable to get better terms on some of their leases.”
Eastern Outfitters currently operates 86 retail stores in the U.S., with 2,600 full-time, part-time and temporary employees.
Vestis Retail Group LLC, the operator of Eastern Mountain Sports, previously filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in April of last year, which led to the closure of Warwick’s Eastern Mountain Sports store.
The Bob’s location in Cranston is expected to remain open.
Nicole Dotzenrod is a PBN staff writer.
