West Marine, the largest boating and marine supply chain in the U.S., is shuttering 59 stores across 23 states, including Florida, following a filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May.
“Like many in the boating community, West Marine has faced headwinds in recent years, including supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, and shifts in consumer behavior,” the company said in a May 17 release. “Today’s action addresses these challenges by strengthening the balance sheet, reducing debt levels, and improving financial flexibility.”
According to court documents, West Marine has confirmed 59 locations will be closed. No dates were provided.
West Marine closed its only Tallahassee location in December 2024
Is West Marine closing?
“West Marine is open for business,” the company said in the release.
Which West Marine stores are closing in Florida?
What is West Marine?
West Marine started off with a guy selling rope from his garage in Sunnyvale, California, according to the company’s history. Founder Randy Repass was frustrated with the boating supply experience and started serving customers by mail order himself in 1968. The first store, West Coast Ropes, opened in Palo Alto in 1975.
It grew from there. In 1977, the company bought part of the mail-order company West Products, rebranded as West Marine Products, and spent the next few years opening stores. The first Florida locations came in 1991.
In 1996, West Marine merged with E&B Marine, and in 2003, it bought the retail and catalog divisions of BoatU.S.
“West Marine opened the biggest boating store in the U.S. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2011,” the company said. The Fort Lauderdale store, the company’s flagship, is more than 50,000 square feet of marine supplies. West Marine relocated its headquarters there in 2022.
How many West Marine locations are in Florida?
Including the eight closing, West Marine currently lists 54 locations in Florida, part of the chain’s approximately 200 retail locations across 34 states and Puerto Rico. You can see the list at westmarine.com/view-all-stores.html
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Marine files bankruptcy, closing Florida stores, here’s where
Reporting by C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
