Local Steve & Barrys to close

By TIM PRESTON
The Independent

ASHLAND September 05, 2008 05:18 pm

— Local Steve & Barry’s customers are being encouraged to take advantage of reduced prices during the upcoming “Store Closing Sale” events at stores in Kyova Mall as well as the Huntington Mall in Barboursville.
Store officials have not announced an official final day of operations at the local stores, which will be closed along with locations at Charleston Town Center, Grand Central mall in Parkersburg, Mercer Mall in Bluefield and New Boston Shopping Center.
Rachel Brenner, Steve & Barry’s Senior Public Relations Manager, said the recently purchased store franchise will continue to operate with 170 stores instead of the 276 locations in business before the company’s recent bankruptcy.
“As you may have heard, Steve & Barry’s was recently purchased out of bankruptcy by BH S&B Holdings, a newly formed affiliate of investment firms Bay Harbour Management and York Capital Management. To better position Steve & Barry’s to reach its profitability goals, BH S&B Holdings is going to run the chain as a smaller base of stores,” Brenner said in a press release about the closure decisions.
“We would encourage your readers to visit any of our closing stores to take advantage of the ‘Store Closing Sale’ that’s now under way for a limited time,” she added.
An employee at the Ashland location indicated that store is expected to begin their “Store Closing Sale” in the near future, although no items had been marked down as of Thursday afternoon.
Kyova Mall General Manager Karen Dillow said they were uncertain about plans for the Ashland Steve & Barry’s.
“We’ve seen the signs but it’s unclear to us whether or not they are closing this location,” Dillow said Thursday afternoon. “We have not received any official notice that they are closing.”
TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2651.