Stores You Thought Were Permanently Closed
When you hear about a store going out of business, you just assume that they will be permanently closed. In fact, when I wrote the article on defunct stores, I never thought I’d hear about them again.
But guess what? Some retailers that closed down permanently as a brick and mortar store have found new life online.
That is, these retailers are online-only entities. And you may still want to shop at them.
List of stores you thought were permanently closed
One of the reasons that some of these closed down stores have been resurrected is one company: Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV).
Here is how a REV press release explains the company:
“Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV) was founded by Alex Mehr and Tai Lopez in 2019 to renew businesses that have struggled in the age of ecommerce.”
PR Newswire
Right now, REV has just a handful of U.S. retailers in its portfolio. It also includes some direct-to-consumer companies, like subscription boxes. Plus, REV has revived stores in the United Kingdom, too.
However, for my purposes, I’m going to focus on these stores where you may have enjoyed shopping in person before they shut down. They’re listed here in alphabetical order.
Dressbarn
A few years ago, I was doing regular TV spots in Philadelphia and New York. At one time the PR people for Dressbarn reached out to me about wearing their clothes.
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In this picture here, my sweater and floral dress are, in fact, from Dressbarn. I loved the giant poppies on it.
When the store near me in Flemington, New Jersey, closed for good, I thought I’d never have the chance to shop there again.
But, as I’m sure you figured out by now, Dressbarn lives–it lives!–online now at Dressbarn.com.
What’s impressive is that Dressbarn has an extensive plus-size collection of women’s clothing.
Finally, given how much I loved that dress, I checked the new version of the store online. I found these similarly floral patterned dresses. You might like them, too.
Here is a coupon code for Dressbarn to save 30%: APYNKB
Linens N Things
As I wrote in my article on defunct stores, Linens N Things started in 1975. Sadly, it closed permanently in 2008. At one time it had 589 stores across the U.S.
Modell’s Sporting Goods
Modell’s got its start in 1889. However, in 2020, the Manhattan-founded retail chain permanently closed its 141 stores.
Here’s the good news, though. Folks who can’t imagine buying jerseys and cleats without “going to Mo’s” can still use the Modell’s website to get everything they need, thanks to REV.
Pier One
When I decided to start selling my clothes on Poshmark, I knew I needed to get a dress form for my photography. Where did I find the perfect dress form mannequin? The Pier One store near my New Jersey home.
Years earlier, I spent hours perusing Pier One. That was during my teens. I probably decorated much of my bedroom with things I bought at Pier One.
At that time it was called Pier One Imports. Now that it’s been revived online, it’s just Pier 1. And they still stock a hanging chair similar to the one I had in my 1980s teen bedroom!
Radio Shack
I’m sure my husband was crushed when Radio Shack permanently closed its 1,000+ stores in 2017. He loved to buy gadgets there.
However, Radio Shack lives again–it’s alive online.
Stein Mart
According to the REV website, Stein Mart first started out as a general department store. Eventually, though, it shifted its focus to discounted clothing.
I remember visiting a Stein Mart store while on a media tour in either Georgia or Texas. It reminded me of TJ Maxx or Marshalls.
Anyway, in 2020, Stein Mart had to permanently close its more than 300 stores. Now you can shop at Stein Mart again online.
Final thoughts on these so-called permanently closed stores
If I hear of any other places going out of business that then return as an online-only store, I’ll be sure to update this article to reflect that new information.
Finally, you may have been used to making returns in person at some of these store brands. However, now that they are online exclusively, they handle returns like nearly every other online seller. That is, you have to send back returns.