Motherhood Maternity Closing Deptford Mall Store

DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ — Moorestown-based retail chain Destination Maternity is closing 183 stores nationally, including its Motherhood Maternity store in Deptford, as the maternity apparel company continues through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection case.

The company has 62 Destination Maternity stores across the country, in addition to its 799 Motherhood Maternity stores and its Pea in the Pod stores.

The company said it plans to close the Motherhood Maternity store in the Deptford Mall, USA Today reported. The Motherhood Maternity in Elizabeth is also slated to close, as are the Destination Maternity in Bridgewater and the Pea in the Pod store in Shrewsbury.

Liquidation sales will continue until the business shutters. No purchases will be returnable.

The majority of the company's stores will remain open; it has 436 stores throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Because of insufficient funds, it reported it did not pay rent at any of the 436 stores for the month of October.

The company also runs 423 leased departments (or stores within stores) in the United States and Canada, such as Motherhood Maternity in Macy's, which will continue.

It has 3,200 employees, of whom 1,000 are full-time and 2,200 are part-time. It plans to continue paying its workers through the Chapter 11 restructuring.

As part of the Chapter 11 proceedings, bids for the company must be submitted by Dec. 5, an auction will be held Dec. 9 and the bankruptcy court must approve the sale by Dec. 12.

Destination Maternity is among the latest retail businesses to file for bankruptcy. The company, which has $260 million in assets and is $244 million in debt, filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 21, according to court documents.

The company has had five CEOs in the last five years. Despite the closures, the company does expect to continue operating brick-and-mortar and online stores. See related: Moorestown-Based Destination Maternity Files For Bankruptcy