Women’s Clothing Stores That Have Fashionably Faltered

By Paula Green

Okay, ladies, you know what it is like to have that favorite shop where you find the perfect clothing. Then you go, only to discover that it's permanently closed—yep, depression sets in! Over the years, some terrific women's clothing stores flourished than flopped in the ‘Burgh. We take a look at a few memorable ones from yesteryear.

Lerner Shops traced its roots to 1918 when it opened in New York City. By the 1950s, the well-established retailer flourished across the country. In 1958, the company introduced its signature label, Lerner New York. The Limited purchased the chain in 1985, acquiring all 796 stores. The name changed to Lerner New York in 1992. A final change came in 1995 when the retailer was reformatted as New York & Company. In the wake of the 2020 pandemic, New York and Company closed all 380 retail stores and sold its e-commerce business to Sunrise Brands.

The Limited was founded in 1963 in Columbus, Ohio. The company focused on women's lingerie, clothing, and personal care. After 54 years, this well-known fashion retailer went bankrupt. In 2017, The Limited closed all 250 stores. The southern department store chain Belk purchased the brand and relaunched it as a private label.

Fashion Bug opened for business in 1960 in Philadelphia. This budget-friendly women's apparel shop used to be a familiar sight, with 1,200 stores nationally. In 2012, all the Fashion Bug stores closed after Ascena Retail Group, best known for its brands Ann Taylor, Loft, and Lane Bryant, bought Fashion Bug's parent company, Charming Shoppes.

Dressbarn launched its business in February 1962 in Stamford, Connecticut. The store stocked wear-to-work dresses and women's clothing during an era of women entering the workforce. For 57 years, it thrived, but in 2019, due to faltering sales, Dressbarn shuttered 650 of its retail stores. The brand was relaunched as an online-only retailer in January 2020. 

Coldwater Creek's roots dated back to January 1984, when it introduced a retail catalog and later opened stores nationwide. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2014 and closed some stores. Due to the pandemic in 2020, its physical retail stores shuttered completely. Coldwater Creek merchandise is available online.

Casual Corner was founded in 1950 in West Hartford, Connecticut. The retailer was popular in malls in the 1970s and 1980s. In 2005, the chain closed all of its stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. 

Another popular chain was Marianne, part of the Rainbow Shops family of brands. Rainbow Shops was founded in 1935 in New York. Eventually, they closed all Marianne shops. Two Rainbow Shops remain open in the region, one in downtown Pittsburgh and the other in McKees Rocks.                 

Deb Shops opened in 1932 in Philadelphia as Joy Hosiery. Deb underwent a name change in the 1970s as the chain expanded beyond lingerie. They filed for bankruptcy in 2014 and closed all their stores in March 2015. 

Charlotte Russe opened in 1975 and closed in 2019, but they're the "comeback kid." They reopened some locations. You can shop at Charlotte Russe at The Tanger Outlet Mall in Washington, Pa., or the Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg.

It's sad that these great shops went under, but the memories are there. No matter where your clothing interests lie, have a fashionable, good time shopping, ladies! Don’t worry guys, next time we’ll reminisce about men’s clothing.

Sources: americanmemorylane.com/, www.racked.com/2014/8/27/7579267/mall-stores-fashion-bug-lerner-gadzooks, blog.cheapism.com/businesses-we-lost-this-decade/, www.pennlive.com/life/2019/12/27-brick-and-mortar-retail-chains-that-we-lost-in-the-past-decade-