Payless ShoeSource is still in trouble after filing chapter 11 in April 2018 and shuttering their Bell Boulevard location with the announcement that the retailer would liquidate their assets in the U.S. by closing all 2,100 stores.
Payless CEO W. Paul Jones cited stiff competition from e-commerce sites such as Amazon when they last filed bankruptcy saying they would also close 400 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, but now it seems only their foreign brick-and-mortar locations will remain in the coming months.
The footwear mainstay, which has about 15 locations in Queens, has about 4,000 locations worldwide and while the company plans to stick around until May, the majority of stores will be out of commission by the end of March.
“Payless will begin liquidation sales at its U.S. and Puerto Rico stores on Feb. 17, 2019, and is winding down its e-commerce operations,” a Payless spokeswoman said. “We expect all stores to remain open until at least the end of March and the majority will remain open until May. This process does not affect the Company’s franchise operations or its Latin American stores, which remain open for business as usual.”
Payless began the liquidation on Sunday by offering customers20 percent off items in-store.
In July 2017, Payless closed the doors of their Bell Boulevard location after again filing chapter 11 and closing 800 stores.
Queens has not had an easy year in retail this year with the loss of the Rego Park Kohl’s as well as the closure of Gymboree in Glendale’s Atlas Park. In fact, 2018 was not much better with Toys R Us going out of business, closing its Rentar Plaza location in Middle Village.
