Popular Mall Retailer To Close Over 200 Locations, 16 In Illinois

The first bankruptcy filing came back in 2018, and the company managed to pull themselves through it and survive, but now a second bankruptcy filing and a big list of store closings seems to indicate that things have become even more dire for a popular mall retailer.

The company we're talking about is Claire's.

They've Got A Legacy Of Ear-Piercing At Claire's Including My Daughter (And Probably Yours, Too)

Have you ever considered how many women and girls have had their ears pierced at a Claire's store over the years? Probably not, because you have a life and other things to think about, unlike me.

Claire’s estimates it has pierced over 100 million ears worldwide, and with the majority of those piercings happening right here in the US, it’s likely that as many as 40 to 50 million American women and girls had their first ear-piercing done by a Claire’s employee. That’s about one in four women in the entire country, or 25 percent.

Claire's Stores Have Been Around Longer Than You May Have Thought

The company was founded in 1961, originally as Fashion Tress Industries (a wig retailer) by Rowland Schaefer. The company later acquired Claire’s Boutiques and rebranded to focus on accessories and jewelry around 1973.

At its peak, Claire’s operated over 3,400 stores across more than 37 countries. It also ran the sister brand Icing, catering to older teens and young women.

As of August 2025, Claire’s now operates approximately 2,300 stores worldwide, with an additional 190 Icing stores in North America. The company also maintains over 300 franchised Claire’s locations, primarily in the Middle East and South Africa.

But for how long?

Here's The Current Claire's Situation, Including Illinois Stores That Have Been Marked For Closure

Claire's second bankruptcy, filed on August 6th, was triggered by, according to the filing, rising debt, tariffs, weak mall traffic, and strong competition from online retail. Their store closure plan originally targeted nearly 700 stores, and was then revised to 291 (235 Claire’s and 56 Icing) after a $104 million deal with Ames Watson aimed to save hundreds of stores.

Here are the Claire’s (and Icing) locations set to close in Illinois under the current plan:

• Bloomingdale Court: Bloomingdale
• Pulaski Promenade: Chicago
• Southport Corridor: Chicago
• Riverpoint Center: Chicago
• Danada Square West: Wheaton
• Cross County Mall: Mattoon
• Eastland Mall: Bloomington
• Northbrook Court: Northbrook
• Hickory Point Mall: Forsyth
• The Promenade: Bolingbrook
• Times Square Mall: Mount Vernon
• SouthPark Mall: Moline
• Deer Park Town Center: Deer Park
• Market Place Mall: Champaign
• Cherryvale Mall: Rockford
• St. Clair Square: Fairview Heights