WARRENDALE, PA. — Teen apparel retailer Rue21 filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, May 15 with plans to reorganize and restructure its assets and debts. In April, the company began to close approximately 400 underperforming stores of the 1,179 stores that it operates. The company stated Monday that it may evaluate further store closures as it continues to manage its real estate lease portfolio. The company expects to emerge from Chapter 11 in fall 2017 with a significantly deleveraged balance sheet. The company has obtained $125 million in debtor-in-possession financing, enabling it to continue day-to-day operations, including payment of employee wages, payment of vendors and honoring customer programs, such as gift cards. Kirkland & Ellis LLP is Rue21’s legal advisor, Rothschild Inc., as its investment banker and financial advisor and Berkeley Research Group as its restructuring advisor.
BOISE, IDAHO — Albertsons Cos. has promoted its executive vice president and chief operating officer, Wayne Denningham, to president and chief operating officer. Bob Miller remains chairman and CEO, a role he has held since April 2015. Denningham will continue to lead store operations with added oversight of marketing and merchandising, supply chain, manufacturing and integration, all of which will continue under their current leadership. Denningham began his career with Albertsons in 1977 as a clerk and worked his way up in the organization. He eventually served as both executive vice president of marketing and merchandising and executive vice president of operations. Albertsons is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia under 19 banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs.
INDIANAPOLIS — Appliance, electronics and furniture retailer hhgregg Inc. is liquidating its assets. The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana approved the initiation of the liquidation process, which began April 8. As previously announced, Tiger Capital Group LLC and Great American Group LLC will conduct a sale of the merchandise and equipment located at the company’s retail stores and distribution centers. Headquartered in Indianapolis, hhgregg was unable to secure a buyer within the expedited timeline set by creditors after previously filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 6. The company expects to close all 220 stores by the end of May, resulting in about 5,000 layoffs across the country, according to The Indianapolis Star, the local newspaper. hhgregg has not disclosed a complete list of stores, but click here to see the previously announced store closings listed as part of the bankruptcy filing. Approximately 60 hhgregg stores are located in the Midwest.
TOPEKA, KAN. — Payless ShoeSource has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced plans to immediately close nearly 400 underperforming stores. The company, which bills itself as the largest specialty family footwear retailer in the Western Hemisphere, currently operates approximately 4,400 stores in more than 30 countries. The shoes and accessory retailer was founded in 1956 in Topeka, Kan. “This is a difficult, but necessary, decision driven by the continued challenges of the retail environment, which will only intensify,” says W. Paul Jones, the company’s CEO. “We will build a stronger Payless.” Payless has entered into a Plan Support Agreement (PSA) with its lenders to reduce its debt load by almost 50 percent. The plan will also allow Payless to lower its annual cash interest costs, access additional capital and provide a path to emergence from Chapter 11 with a sustainable capital structure. The agreement will also allow Payless to invest in areas that may provide further growth, including omnichannel expansion, product and inventory initiatives, and international expansion in Latin America and elsewhere. The company plans to optimize its store footprint through the immediate store closures, as well as managing its existing real estate lease portfolio. This may include modifying …
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Los Angeles-based BH Properties has acquired the former Golfsmith International Holdings Inc. headquarters facility in Austin out of Golfsmith’s bankruptcy liquidation process for $20.5 million. Situated on 40 acres, the four-building, 332,345-square-foot property features a 93,000-square-foot building, which housed retail and office space, and three manufacturing and distribution facilities totaling 239,000 square feet. BH Properties was represented in-house, while Michael Jerbich of A&G Realty Partners represented Golfsmith in the deal.
SAN FRANCISCO — Andi Owen, global brand president of Banana Republic, will leave Gap Inc. in late February. While a search is underway for Banana Republic’s next president, Gap Inc. CEO Art Peck will directly oversee the brand. Since joining Gap Inc. in 1991, Owen has held a variety of leadership roles at the company, including executive vice president and general manager for Gap Global Outlet and senior vice president and general manager for Banana Republic Factory Stores. San Francisco-based Gap Inc. oversees the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta and Intermix brands. Gap Inc. has approximately 3,300 company-operated stores, 450 franchise stores and e-commerce sites.
WILLIAMSBURG, VA. — WM Dougherty & Co. LLC has acquired an unfinished memory care community in Williamsburg for $7.5 million. The Jacksonville, Fla.-based investment bank and brokerage firm will open the community as Berkeley Oaks. Solvere Senior Living, a New Jersey-based operator, will manage the property upon completion. New Dawn Assisted Living was developing the community before the project declared bankruptcy in late 2015. In addition to the purchase price, WM Dougherty plans to invest $2 million in the community. When completed, Berkeley Oaks will offer 48 memory care units divided into three 16-unit buildings that will operate as separate neighborhoods. Architectural firm Lantz-Boggio designed the project, which is scheduled to open in February 2017. Berkeley Oaks will be the fourth developer-operator partnership between Dougherty and Solvere.
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS — HDR has opened an office in San Marcos to serve Hays County and nearby cities including San Marcos, Kyle, Buda and Dripping Springs. The employee-owned engineering firm has leased space in the Red Oaks shopping center, located at 1290 Wonder World Drive, near the Hays County Government Center. Allen Crozier has been named manager of HDR’s San Marcos office. Crozier has been with HDR since 2005 and previously worked with the Texas Department of Transportation.
SPRINGFIELD, MO. — John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Springfield-based JQH is an owner and manager of hotels throughout the United States featuring brands such as Marriot, Hilton, Embassy Suites, IHG and more. The company is financially sound, but is filing for bankruptcy to restructure the organization and “navigate a litigious environment,” says Jacquie Dowdy, CEO of JQH. According to the Wall Street Journal, the legal battle is a result of a 2005 buyout in which John Hammons sold a portfolio of 43 hotels of hotels to Jonathan Eilian. Under terms of the contract, Hammons received equity interest in the acquiring company, and Eilian received right of first refusal for the sale of the JQH’s remaining 35 hotels. Eilian later sued JQH, claiming the company has made no move to sell those remaining properties. JQH’s Gregg Groves is providing in-house legal counsel in connection with the Chapter 11 filing, and Stinson Leonard Street LLP is providing outside counsel for the restructuring. JQH currently maintains a portfolio of 35 hotels that include 8,500 rooms scattered throughout 16 states.
NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. — PIMCO has announced Dr. Ben Bernanke, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, as a senior advisor to the firm. Bernanke will utilize his economic expertise to advise the firm throughout the investment process. He will also engage with PIMCO’s clients from time to time. Bernanke served a 14-year term as a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. He spent eight of those years as Chairman of the Board. Bernanke maintained a seat on the Financial Stability Oversight Board, which oversaw the Troubled Asset Relief Program, throughout his two terms as Chairman. Bernanke was succeeded as Chairman of the Federal Reserve by Janet Yellen, the first woman to hold the position. She overtook the role on Jan. 6 of last year.
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