ALGONQUIN – The Gymboree and Crazy 8 stores in Algonquin Commons will close after the company announced plans this week to shutter 350 stores across the country.
The Gymboree Corp., which filed for bankruptcy protection June 11, will close a total of
11 Illinois stores, including the Gymboree in Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee. The Crazy 8 located in the Algonquin Commons also will be closing, according to Gymboree’s website.
“Some of these closings [in the retail marketplace] are not surprising,” said Russell Farnum, Algonquin’s community development director. “The retail marketplace is changing. That doesn’t mean it’s dead – it’s just changing. We’re anxious to make way for some new space that can be filled by new and better and improved stores.”
The Algonquin store has not yet been given a closing date, a store manager said.
Closing sales at affected stores are scheduled to begin Tuesday, according to the company’s news release.
“This was a difficult decision to make, but we are confident that it is in the best long-term interest of our company, our customers and our broader employee base,” President and CEO of Gymboree Daniel Griesemer said in a statement. “I am deeply grateful to our team, their exceptional ongoing dedication and their focus on continuing to put our customers at the center of all we do.”
As of April 29, Gymboree operated a total of 1,281 retail stores across its three brands: Gymboree, Janie and Jack and Crazy 8.
