Another Regional Department Store Chain Mulls Bankruptcy

Gordmans has operated in the midwest for over 100 years, and now according to sources, the department store chain may be closing its doors permanently.

The chain began with a single store in Omaha, Nebraska operated by Russian immigrant Sam Richman in 1915. Some time later, Bloomingdale executive Dan Gordman had an unexpected layover in Omaha when his car broke down. While in town, he met Mr. Richman’s daughter and later married her. Today, there are 99 Gordmans in 22 midwestern states, including four in Illinois. The stores first started losing money in 2014, and last year, the stock value dropped below $1 a share. Prices were as low as 34 cents a share after news of the probable bankruptcy became public.

Gordmans had already announced that there would be a round of layoffs due to the “sluggish retail environment.”

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Once upon a time, smaller regional department store chains could count on a loyal customer base and turn a fairly nice profit. But today’s retail landscape is dominated by big-box chains with large inventories and online retailers with nearly unlimited inventories, so smaller chains like Gordmans and hhgregg (which filed bankruptcy in March 2017) are simply left out in the cold.

When that happens, business owners can either file bankruptcy or watch the red ink get even deeper. Many families face a similar choice, and they often turn to Chapter 7 bankruptcy in these situations; the “liquidation” filing rate in the Indiana area is one of the highest in the nation.

In Chapter 7, most unsecured debts, including credit cards and medical bills, are discharged (forgiven) in as little as six months, giving the debtor a fresh financial start that would be almost impossible to achieve otherwise. Nearly all debtors get to keep most or all of their property in liquidation bankruptcies.

Chapter 13

Companies that face a temporary financial hardship often turn to Chapter 11 reorganization, because it allows them to pay back some of their debts at a slower pace and renegotiate unfavorable contracts. Chapter 13, which is sometimes called the wage-earner plan, does basically the same thing for families. Chicagoland has one of the highest Chapter 13 filing rates in the country.

Almost all contract terms are negotiable, and moneylenders know that Chapter 13 is often one step away from Chapter 7 and a near-unlimited debt discharge. One of the fundamental rules of life is that something is almost always better than nothing, and the prospect of getting nothing is often enough to motivate moneylenders to negotiate one-sided contract terms. If such negotiations reach a standstill, most judges order the parties to mediation.

In terms of repayment, Chapter 13 gives families up to five years to catch up on secured debts. During this time, moneylenders can take no adverse action, such as foreclosure, without special permission from the bankruptcy judge.

Chapter 20

There is no such section in the Bankruptcy Code, but it is a very common strategy in many cases. The debtor files a voluntary Chapter 13 petition fully intending to repay debts. However, if it turns out that the debt consolidation payment is unmanageable, debtors have the right to convert their cases to Chapter 7 at almost any time.

Reach Out to Experienced Lawyers

Consumers have a number of options in bankruptcy. For a free consultation with an experienced bankruptcy lawyer in Chicago, contact the Bentz Holguin Law Firm, LLC. We routinely handle matters in both Indiana and Illinois.

Resources:

bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-06/gordmans-department-store-chain-said-to-prepare-for-bankruptcy

uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-basics/chapter-13-bankruptcy-basics