Overview

• The agreement covers Claire’s North American operations and intellectual property, with stores excluded from the deal continuing to liquidate.
• Court filings show a purchase price comprising $104 million in cash, a $36 million seller note, and a $22.5 million deposit, all subject to adjustments.
• Ames Watson intends to operate at least 795 stores, potentially rising to 950, while 310 to 465 locations move forward with closures.
• Claire’s has paused liquidation at a significant number of stores as the buyer commits to retain thousands of employees, including at headquarters.
• The transaction is part of Claire’s second bankruptcy restructuring since 2018, following a recent Chapter 11 filing that disclosed roughly $690 million in debt and mounting competitive and cost pressures.