Francesca’s closing of all properties remaining after the bankruptcy sale
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After years of financial turmoil and post-bankruptcy sales, well-known women’s retailer Francesca is preparing to close its remaining stores, with reports that workers are being laid off without warning and that retailers are allegedly owed hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid invoices.
Francesca’s – a popular women’s clothing, jewelry, accessories and gift store – is reportedly in the process of closing all of its remaining stores as company representatives confirm that the chain will close and “close soon,” according to Women’s Wear Daily.
Liquidation sales were reported to have begun on Jan. 16, 2026, and sources told industry outlets that many workers have been let go suddenly without prior notice.
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One retailer who spoke to Women’s Wear Daily said the company owes about $250 million in unpaid invoices and that “there has been no communication from the company to any of the retailers.”
Shoppers walk past a Francesca’s Collections store, a subsidiary of Francesca’s Holdings Corp., in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, on Friday, Dec. 2, 2011. (Getty Images)
The Francescas filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2020 amid declining store sales and other financial challenges. During the bankruptcy process, the company said it plans to close about 140 stores, leaving 560 locations in operation at that time.
In early 2021, the company’s assets were sold out of bankruptcy to Francesca’s Acquisition LLC, a subsidiary of TerraMar Capital and Tiger Capital Group, for $18 million. Despite the restructuring, the business continued to struggle with financial problems and financial stress.
Neither Francesca’s corporate headquarters nor TerraMar Capital immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
The atmosphere inside Francesca’s at Southlake Town Center on September 21, 2013, in Southlake, Texas. | Getty Images
During the bankruptcy filing, the Francesca’s said they planned to renegotiate a number of leases, which could include closing more boutiques.
In the years after exiting the collection, Francesca’s attempts to revive it, including launching a line focused on the center called Franki by Francesca’s and acquiring the lifestyle brand of Miley Cyrus and Suki Waterhouse Richer Poorer. The chain also opened a new store at the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in April 2024.
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Founded in 1999 in Houston, Texas, Francesca quickly expanded into department stores and shopping centers across the US before going public in 2011. The brand has built a loyal following by combining boutique-style fashion with affordable price points.
As of mid-January 2026, Francesca’s website listings still show hundreds of locations in operation, as the company nears a full shutdown.
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The Wall Street Journal contributed to this report.
