Express files for bankruptcy; to close more than 95 stores

Express, Inc. has filed for bankruptcy with plans to sell itself.

The struggling clothing retailer, whose brands include Express, UpWest and Bonobos, has received a non-binding letter of intent from brand management firm WHP Global and Simon Property Group Inc. and Brookfield Properties to purchase the company’s operations and most of its stores. (In January 2023, WHP invested $235 million for a 60% stake in Express through a joint venture.)

As part of the process, Express intends to close approximately 95 namesake stores (including full-price and factory outlet stores) and all 10 UpWest locations. Closing sales at the stores will begin on April 23.  (List of locations at end of article.)

The retailer, which operates a total of about 540 locations, said that it will continue to assess its store footprint and is working with A&G Realty Partners on that process. Express will continue serve customers in stores and online across its brands and expects to conduct business as usual as it “works to right-size its lease portfolio and operations,” the company stated.

“We are taking an important step that will strengthen our financial position and enable Express to continue advancing our business initiatives,” said Stewart Glendinning, who took the reins as CEO in September 2023. “WHP has been a strong partner to the company since 2023, and the proposed transaction will provide us additional financial resources, better position the business for profitable growth and maximize value for our stakeholders.”

Express has received a commitment for $35 million in new financing from certain of its existing lenders, subject to court approval, to fund itself in bankruptcy. Additionally, earlier this month the company recieved $49 million in cash from the Internal Revenue Service related to the CARES Act. 

“Our top priority remains providing our customers with the contemporary styles and value they expect from us,” said Glendinning.  

New CFO

Express also announced that it has named Mark Still as senior VP and CFO effective immediately. He has served as the company’s interim CFO since November 2023 and as senior VP, brand finance and planning & allocation since January 2023.  

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal counsel to Express, Moelis & Company LLC is serving as investment banker, and M3 Partners, LP is serving as financial advisor.

Store Closing List 

Court documents contain the list of the Express stores scheduled to close. Here's the list, as reported by Marketwatch. 

Express

• 3111 West Chandler Blvd., Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler Fashion)
• 224 Los Cerritos Center, Cerritos, Calif. (Los Cerritos)
• 234 Stonewood Street, Downey, Calif. (Stonewood)
• 5680 Bay Street, Emeryville, Calif. (Bay Street)
• 200 E. Via Rancho Pkwy, Escondido, Calif. (North County Fair)
• 645 Shaw Ave., Fresno, Calif. (Fresno Fashion Fair)
• 500 Lakewood Blvd, Lakewood, Calif. (Lakewood)
• 2149 Montclair Plaza, Montclair, Calif. (Montclair Plaza)
• 22500 Town Circle, Moreno Valley, Calif. (Moreno Valley)
• 3030 Plaza Bonita Rd., National City, Calif. (Plaza Bonita)
• 1640 Camino Del Rio N, San Diego, Calif. (Mission Valley)
• 4485 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, Calif. (University Town Ctr.)
• 2800 N. Main St., Santa Ana, Calif. (Mainplace Mall)
• 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, Calif. (Valley Fair Mall)
• 14006 Riverside Dr., Sherman Oaks, Calif. (Sherman Oaks Fashion Square)
• 202 W Hillcrest Dr., Thousand Oaks, Calif. (The Oaks)
• 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia, Calif. (Valencia Town Center)
• One West Flatiron Drive, Broomfield, Colo. (Flatiron Crossing)
• 500 16th St., Denver, Colo. (Denver Pavilions)
• 5971 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland, Colo. (Shops at Centerra)
• 7 Backus Ave., Danbury, Conn. (Danbury Fair)
• 181 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, Conn. (Greenwich Avenue)
• 125 West Main Street, Westport, Conn. (Main Street—Westport)
• 19501 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura, Fla. (Aventura Mall)
• 27001 U.S. Highway 19 N, Clearwater, Fla. (Countryside Mall)
• 401 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, Fla. (Bayside)
• 904 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, Fla. (Lincoln Road)
• 8021 Citrus Park, Tampa, Fla. (Citrus Park Twn Ctr)
• 1174 N Point Pkwy, Alpharetta, Ga. (North Point)
• 230 18th Street, Atlanta, Ga. (Atlantic Station)
• 400 Ernest W. Barrett Pkwy, Kennesaw, Ga. (Town Center at Cobb)
• Moanalua Rd., Honolulu, Hawaii (Pearlridge)
• 17 N State Street, Chicago, Ill. (State Street)
• 655 West Diversey Parkway, Chicago, Ill. (West Diversey Street)
• 134 St. Claire Square, Fairview Heights, Ill. (St. Clair Square)
• 3333 West Touhy Ave., Lincolnwood, Ill. (Lincolnwood Twn Ctr)
• 2121 Southlake Mall, Merrillville, Ind. (Southlake Mall)
• 11160 Veirs Mill Rd., Wheaton, Md. (Wheaton)
• 109 Newbury Street, Boston, Mass. (Newbury Street)
• 20-36 District Ave., Dorchester, Mass. (South Bay)
• 104B N. Dartmouth Mall, North Dartmouth, Mass. (North Dartmouth)
• 14600 Lakeside Circle, Sterling Heights, Mich. (Lakeside)
• 4101 W. Division St., Saint Cloud, Minn. (Crossroads Center)
• 7120, Nw 86 Terrace, Kansas City, Mo. (Zona Rosa)
• 414 Gateway Mall, Lincoln, Neb. (Westfield Gateway)
• 1300 Sunset Rd., Henderson, Nev. (Galleria At Sunset)
• 1750 Deptford Center Rd., Deptford Township, N.J. (Deptford Mall)
• 3710 Route 9, Freehold, N.J. (Freehold Raceway)
• 4403 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing, N.J. (Mall at Hamilton Center)
• 110 Garden State Plaza, Paramus, N.J. (Garden State)
• 250 Woodbridge Ctr Dr., Woodbridge, N.J. (Woodbridge)
• 1701 Sunrise Highway, Bayshore, N.Y. (Southshore)
• 26th Avenue & Bell Blvd, Bayside, N.Y. (Bay Terrace)
• 5036 Kings Plaza, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Kings Plaza)
• 129 5th Ave., New York, N.Y. (Flatiron—Fifth Avenue)
• 514 Broadway, New York, N.Y. (Broadway—Soho)
• 1552 North Broadway, New York, N.Y. (Times Square)
• 3513 Long Beach Road, Oceanside, N.Y. (The Sands)
• 2034 Green Acres Mall, Valley Stream, N.Y. (Green Acres Mall)
• 5130 Xavier Dr., Yonkers, N.Y. (Cross Country)
• 6801 Northlake Mall Dr., Charlotte, N.C. (Northlake)
• 3320 Silas Creek Pkwy, Winston-Salem, N.C. (Hanes Mall)
• 7540 Bales St., Liberty Township, Ohio (Liberty Center)
• 5001 Monroe, Toledo, Ohio (Franklin Park)
• 1521 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Walnut Street)
• 400 Bald Hill Road, Warwick, R.I. (Warwick)
• 1800 Galleria Blvd., Franklin, Tenn. (Cool Springs)
• 305 West Fm 1382, Cedar Hill, Texas (Hillside Village)
• 5488 S. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christi, Texas (La Palmera)
• 13350 Dallas Pkwy, Dallas, Texas (Dallas Galleria)
• 4802 Valley View Blvd., Roanoke, Va. (Valley View Mall)
• 21100 Dulles Town Ctr., Sterling, Va. (Dulles Town Center)
• 8700 N.E. Vancouver Mall Dr., Vancouver, Wash. (Vancouver)
• 555 11th St. NW, Washington, D.C. (F Street)
• 89 East Towne Mall, Madison, Wis. (East Towne Mall)

 Express Factory Outlet 

• 194 Buckland Hills Drive #2500, Manchester, Conn. (Buckland Hills)
• 800 Steven B Tanger Blvd., Commerce, Ga. (Commerce Outlets)
• 800 N. Green River Rd., Evansville, Ind. (Eastland Mall)
• 4444 1st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Lindale)
• 320 W. Kimberly Rd., Davenport, Iowa (Northpark)
• 150 Tanger Dr., Williamsburg, Iowa (Williamsburg)
• 355 Boardwalk Blvd, Bossier City, La. (Louisiana Boardwalk)
• 8200 Perry Hall Boulevard, Baltimore, Md. (White Marsh)
• 2300 North Salisbury Boulevard, Salisbury, Md. (Centre At Salisbury)
• 6650 Westnedge Ave., Portage, Mich. (Crossroads Mall)
• 2 Common Ct., North Conway, N.H. (Settlers Green)
• 112 Eisenhower Pkwy, Livingston, N.J. (Livingston Mall)
• 400 New Jersey 38, Moorestown, N.J. (Moorestown)
• 490 Fulton St., Brooklyn, N.Y. (Fulton Street)
• 1 Sangertown Square, New Hartford, N.Y. (Sangertown Square)
• 901 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (Fashion District Philadelphia)
• 1500 Harvey Rd., College Station, Texas (Post Oak)
• 6906 N Loop 1604 E, San Antonio, Texas (Rolling Oaks)
• 4750 Division St., Spokane, Wash. (Northtown)
• 210 N. Gasser Rd., Baraboo, Wis. (Outlets At The Dells)