Sports Authority Closing Stores, List Includes West Los Angeles Store

By RENEE SCHIAVONE (Patch Staff)

LOS ANGELES, CA - Sports Authority filed for bankruptcy Wednesday and announced it will close 140 stores, one of which is in West Los Angeles.

The sports supply retailer's location at 1919 S Sepulveda Blvd in West Los Angeles will be closing but an exact date has not been announced.

There are 73 total stores in California, according to Sports Authority. Nineteen of them will close, according to court documents obtained by Patch.

Those locations include:

• 4821 Ming Avenue, Bakersfield
• 351 West Ventura Boulevard, Camarillo
• 21301 Victory Blvd, Canoga Park
• 11900 South Street, Cerritos
• 435 Corte Madera Avenue, Corte Madera
• 2983 Jamacha Rd (Rancho San Diego), El Cajon
• 1352 W. Valley Pkwy, Escondido
• 5500 Grossmont Center Dr, La Mesa
• 4550 W Pico Blvd Ste 305 (Midtown Crossing), Los Angeles
• 1919 S. Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles
• 6600 Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Los Angeles
• 1345 Chum Creek Road, Redding
• 3380 Tyler, Riverside
• 3900 S Bristol Street, Santa Ana
• 243 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo
• 10536 Trinity Parkway, Stockton
• 145 W Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks
• 4870 Telephone Rd, Ventura
• 1675 Olympic Blvd, Walnut Creek

The 140 stores targeted for closure account for nearly one-third of the company's total of 450 stores, and the stores will be closed over the next three months, according to the company and court documents.

In a public letter, CEO Michael Foss stressed that gift cards, credit cards and the store's loyalty program should not be impacted due to the bankruptcy.

"In short, we are continuing to operate our stores and website, and we remain fully committed to delivering value and great brands wherever you shop at Sports Authority," he said.

In January, the company, owned by a Los Angeles-based private equity firm, announced it had missed a $20 million debt payment.

If the company is granted approval from a bankruptcy judge, liquidation sales could begin as soon as Friday, reports USA Today.

Sports Authority has 14,500 full- and part-time employees with more than $1 billion in liabilities and assets between $500,000 and $1 billion.

– Additional reporting by TIM DARNELL.