All Payless Stores, Including 1 In Lakewood, Could Close: Report

LAKEWOOD, NJ — Payless ShoeSource plans to close all of its U.S. stores as part of a bankruptcy filing later this month, Reuters is reporting.

The closings would affect about 2,300 U.S. stores and the company is preparing for going-out-of-business sales at the locations, according to the Reuters report. Sources told Reuters that a buyer could still crop up.

Payless currently operates over 2,700 stores in North America and Puerto Rico, including one in Lakewood. It is at Lakewood Shopping Plaza, 1700 Madison Ave.

Also nearby are:

• Bay Harbor Plaza, 55 Brick Boulevard
• Brick Commons, 660 Route 70
• Ocean County Mall, 1201 Hooper Ave., Suite 99, Toms River
• Lanes Mill Marketplace, 4819 Route 9, Howell

As part of a bankruptcy filing in 2017, Payless closed nearly 700 stores.

Payless did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

News of the potential store closings comes as another big retailer, Sears, narrowly escaped going out of business. Earlier this month, a bankruptcy judge approved a $5.7 billion bid to keep the business operating.

You can read the full Reuters report here.

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