Trending

Pier 1 moves to permanently shut down its stores due to coronavirus

FORT WORTH, Texas — Three months after filing for bankruptcy, Pier 1 Imports Inc. wants to close down its stores for good.

>> JC Penney files for bankruptcy

The Texas-based company announced Tuesday in a news release that it has filed a motion in bankruptcy court seeking approval “to begin an orderly wind-down” of its operations as soon as possible after stores closed by coronavirus restrictions are allowed to reopen.

“This decision follows months of working to identify a buyer who would continue to operate our business going forward,” Pier 1 CEO Robert Riesbeck said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the challenging retail environment has been significantly compounded by the profound impact of COVID-19, hindering our ability to secure such a buyer and requiring us to wind down.”

>> Neiman Marcus files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid coronavirus pandemic

Pier 1 was founded in San Mateo, California, in 1962. The company has more than 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada.

According to its news release, Pier 1 intends to sell its inventory and remaining assets, including its intellectual property and e-commerce business, through a court-supervised process.

Pier 1′s decision is a reversal in tactics, as the company said it was hoping to restructure, The Wall Street Journal reported.

>> Coronavirus checklist: 100-plus disinfectants that may kill coronavirus on surfaces

"It is now clear that Pier 1’s future does not involve any brick-and-mortar retail locations,” the company said in its filing.

>> Coronavirus symptoms: What you need to know

The company’s lenders have agreed to let the business overdraw its lending facility by $40 million to help pay for the liquidation process, CNN reported.

>> Coronavirus: Know the facts directly from the CDC

Pier 1 has closed nearly half of its locations since last year, according to CNN. In February, the company announced it was closing 450 stores, including all locations in Canada.

>> Coronavirus: Can the government make you stay home if you are sick?

Pier 1′s bankruptcy continues the trend of filing by JC Penney, Neiman Marcus and J Crew, which have all filed in recent weeks. Those companies also blamed the pandemic and shifting consumer buying habits as reasons for the filings.