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Gulf Coast mall owners grapple with bankrupt retailer Rue21 closing stores

Joining Macy’s and Express, teen fashion retailer Rue21 is closing its 11 local stores — and 30 in Florida — after filing for bankruptcy for the third time.

By Louis Llovio
| 8:00 a.m. May 7, 2024
| 0 Free Articles Remaining!

Florida

Mall owners in Florida are again having to deal with more vacant space and the possibility leases are going to be broken as another retail staple enters bankruptcy and starts closing stores.

This time it is teen-fashion retailer Rue21 which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy late last week and said it was shutting down all 544 of its stores, including 30 in Florida.

That includes 10 in the region, with three in Tampa and one each in Brandon, Ellenton, Fort Myers, Lakeland, Port Charlotte, Port Richey and St. Petersburg.

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Louis Llovio

Louis Llovio is the deputy managing editor at the Business Observer. Before going to work at the Observer, the longtime business writer worked at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Maryland Daily Record and for the Baltimore Sun Media Group. He lives in Tampa.