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New York & Tri-State  + Retail  | 

Barneys Seeks Buyer in Chapter 11 Filing; Will Close Most Stores

Luxury retailer Barneys New York said Tuesday it had filed for Chapter 11 reorganization at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan. It will close most of its brick-and-mortar stores, although flagship locations in Manhattan, Beverly Hills, San Francisco and Boston will remain open.

“Like many in our industry, Barneys New York’s financial position has been dramatically impacted by the challenging retail environment and rent structures that are excessively high relative to market demand,” said CEO Daniella Vitale.

A bankruptcy filing, she added, will provide the 96-year-old retailer “the necessary tools to conduct a sale process, review our current leases and optimize our operations.”

The company, currently controlled by hedge fund Perry Capital, said it has secured $75 million in new capital to pay bills while seeking a buyer. Founded in New York by Barney Pressman as a discount retailer, Barneys shifted to luxury goods in the 1960s.

Barneys wasn’t the only retailer that announced store closures on Tuesday. In an SEC filing, Walgreens Boots Alliance said it would shutter 200 locations; the timetable for the closures wasn’t clear.

Pictured: The flagship Barneys store at 660 Madison Ave.

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Paul Bubny

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About Paul Bubny

Paul Bubny serves as Senior Content Director for Connect Commercial Real Estate, a role to which he brings 16-plus years’ experience covering the commercial real estate industry and 30-plus years in business-to-business journalism. In this capacity, he oversees daily operations while also reporting on both local/regional markets and national trends, covering individual transactions across all property types, as well as delving into broader subject matter. He produces 7-10 daily news stories per day and works with the Connect team and clients to develop longer-form content, ranging from Q&As to thought-leadership pieces. Prior to joining Connect, Paul was Managing Editor for both Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com at American Lawyer Media, where he oversaw operations at both publications while also producing daily news and feature-length articles. His tenure in B2B publishing stretches back into the print era, and he has served as Editor in Chief on four national trade publications. Since 1999, Paul has volunteered as the newsletter editor of passenger rail advocacy groups (one national, one local).

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