Last year sent 17 major retailers into bankruptcy. For some — including Payless, Gymboree and Charming Charlie — it was their second trip to court. Bankruptcy also proved fatal for more retailers in 2019, as liquidations increased. Inside and outside of bankruptcy, retailers closed more than 9,000 stores.
This is all to say that, while retail sales on the whole increase and the strong players become ever stronger, there are still many ailing retailers and sectors. The forces that pushed dozens of retailers into bankruptcy over the last four years or so are still present.
