ATLANTA — Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy protection for a second time and plans to close down its U.S. business as traffic in U.S. shopping malls fades and competition from online retailers like Amazon, Temu and Shein intensifies.
Forever 21 joined other retailers recently, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection or liquidating. These retailers are facing slowed consumer spending and rising operating costs due to inflation.
As a result, stores in the U.S. will hold liquidation sales, and the website will continue to operate while the business winds down. Other licensees run the retailer’s locations outside the U.S. and are not included in the bankruptcy filing.
Forever 21 was founded in 1984 and, along with other fast-fashion chains like H&M and Zara, enjoyed a wave of popularity among young customers in the mid-1990s. Their popularity grew during the Great Recession when shoppers were seeking bargains. However, Forever 21 aggressively expanded just as shoppers were moving more online. Critics have said that Forever 21 was too slow to embrace online shopping.
- North Point Mall: 1000 North Point Circle Ste 1170, Alpharetta, GA
- Cumberland Mall: 1429 Cumberland Mall Atlanta, GA
- Atlantic Station: 231 18TH STREET, Suite 565, Atlanta, GA
- Lenox Square: 3393 Peachtree Rd NE, Ste 3136, Atlanta, GA
- Perimeter Mall: 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., Space #1315, Atlanta, GA
- Augusta Mall: 3450 Wrightsboro Rd., #1200, Augusta, GA
- Mall of Georgia: 3333 Buford Drive, Space #1058A, Buford, GA
- Peachtree Mall: 3501 Manchester Expressway Space 53, Columbus, GA
- Arbor Place: 6594 Douglas Blvd., Douglasville, GA
- Fayette Pavilion: 121 Pavilion Pkwy, Ste. A Fayetteville, GA
- Town Center @ Cobb: 400 Ernest Barrett Parkway, Space #252A, Kennesaw, GA
- Discover Mills: 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Space 531, Lawrenceville, GA
- Stonecrest: 2929 Turner Hill Road N.E #2460, Lithonia, GA
- Tanger Locust Grove: 1000 Tanger Drive, Ste. #101, Locust Grove, GA
- Southlake Mall: 1000 Southlake Circle, Morrow, GA
- Savannah Outlets: 200 Tanger Outlets Blvd. Ste. 191, Pooler, GA
- Oglethorpe Mall: 7804 Abercorn Street, Space #81, Savannah, GA
- The Outlets Shoppes at ATL: 915 Ridgewalk Parkway, Woodstock, GA
According to its website, there are only 18 Georgia locations, and it appears that the clothing store is closing all of them.
It’s unclear how long the liquidation process will be, or when stores are expected to close if a buyer isn’t found to keep the company’s locations operational.
