Forever 21’s Boise location to stay open amid bankruptcy

Forever 21, an American “fast fashion” retailer, has filed for bankruptcy, but the chain’s sole Idaho store at the Boise Towne Square mall will remain and is not on the list of the retailer’s most unprofitable locations.

The Los Angeles-based apparel retailer will close 178 of its most unprofitable U.S. stores as part of the bankruptcy proceedings.

“The decisions as to which domestic stores will be closing are ongoing, pending the outcome of continued conversations with landlords,” Forever 21 said in a statement. “We do, however, expect a significant number of these stores will remain open and operate as usual, and we do not expect to exit any major markets in the U.S.”

A salesperson who answered the phone at the Boise Towne Square location said the store would not be closing.

Forever 21’s spokesperson said the company plans to shutter many international stores, primarily in Asia and Europe but will continue to operate in Latin America and Mexico. Forever 21 does not expect to close all of these locations but expects the stores will close if no further deals are reached.

The “fast fashion” retailer offers inexpensive clothes with numerous new styles.

Founded in 1984, Forever 21 saw its biggest boom in the early 2000s. According to a report by National Public Radio, the retailer bet on a mall-based business model when it started out. In recent years, the company saw its growth fall as foot traffic in traditional malls dwindled.

The bankruptcy filing comes amid additional store closures in the U.S., many of them in shopping malls. The apparel retailer has 815 stores globally, according to a report by CNBC.

Similar retail chains such as Charlotte Russe, Wet Seal and Payless ShoeSource have announced closures at Boise Towne Square in recent years.

Gymboree, a children’s apparel store, has closed its doors at The Village in Meridian and will be replaced by Jensen Jewelers in November.