The national retailer is “liquidating our inventory and closing soon,” a customer service representative confirmed to Women’s Wear Daily.
TAMPA, Fla. — Francesca’s, a women’s boutique chain with hundreds of locations around the country, is reportedly closing its doors.
The national retailer is “liquidating our inventory and closing soon,” a customer service representative confirmed to Women’s Wear Daily.
As of Jan. 20, the company has yet to publicly confirm the closure or why it would be shutting its doors. However, multiple people who identified themselves on Reddit and LinkedIn as store employees said they were recently notified about the closures. Merchants and former buyers also told WWD about Francesca’s closing plans. One vendor claimed it is owed $250 million in unpaid invoices.
In Dec. 2020, the company reportedly filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and was sold to Francesca’s Acquisition LLC in Jan. 2021.
Recently, the company updated its return policy, noting that as of Jan. 14, all sales are final, but no liquidation information was listed.
Is Francesca’s closing its stores in the Tampa Bay area?
Francesca’s got its start in 1999 as a single boutique in Houston, Texas. Since then, it has grown to more than 450 boutiques across the country with 3,400 employees.
According to its website, there are 25 Francesca’s stores across Florida. The company has yet to publicly confirm the closure, if any, but the following locations are currently operating in the Tampa Bay area:
Tyrone Square — 6901 Tyrone Square in Saint PetersburgCountryside Mall — 27001 US Hwy 19N 1057 in ClearwaterInternational Plaza — 2223 N Westshore Blvd 110 in TampaWestfield Citrus Park — 7949 Citrus Park Center in TampaBrandon Exchange — 406 Brandon Town Center in BrandonEllenton Premium Outlets — 5419 Factory Shops Blvd. 125 in EllentonShops at Wiregrass — 28210 Paseo Dr. in Wesley ChapelLakeside Village — 1437 Town Center Dr. in Lakeland
TEGNA Digital’s Andrew Weil contributed to this story.