Outdoor supply retailer West Marine is closing two of its three Illinois stores as part of a bout of nationwide closures.
The chain announced the nearly 60 store closures on its website, including the two northern Illinois locations. Impacted stores will also host closing sales, according to the chain.
“We recently made the difficult decision to close select store locations,” the retailer announced on its website. “While this change wasn’t easy, our commitment to you hasn’t changed one bit – West Marine is open, stocked and ready to help with everything you need to get back on the water.”
Here’s what we know about the Illinois closures.
Which West Marine stores in Illinois are closing?
West Marine is closing its stores located at 2 W. Grand Ave. in Fox Lake and 1707-7th St. in Winthrop Harbor.
When are stores closing?
The retailer hasn’t yet confirmed details about when stores will be closing, as of June 15.
Why is West Marine closing stores?
The 59 store closures come after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 17, per online court documents.
In the records, the company noted more than 100,000 creditors, between $500 million and $1 billion in assets and between $500 million and $1 billion in liabilities.
“West Marine is closing select retail locations as part of its ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring,” the company told USA TODAY. “This decision reflects our effort to align our store footprint with our current business needs, while continuing to evaluate our portfolio in coordination with landlords.”
West Marine said in court documents that recent efforts to improve its financial situation date back to at least 2023.
In March and September of that year, the company recorded significant debt. Other financial stressors included long-term lease obligations, such as 200 leases that required $55 million of annual payments.
“(These leases) have depleted liquidity and proved an insurmountable obstacle that could not be adequately addressed absent this chapter 11 filing,” the company wrote.
“In addition to declines in consumer discretionary spending, the boating, marine, and outdoor recreation sector more generally continues to struggle in 2026,” West Marine also wrote in court documents. “This is largely due to significantly elevated diesel prices, inflationary conditions, and global supply chain hardships, all of which played a role in necessitating the 2023 transactions and have not abated ever since.”
Which West Marine stores will stay open in Illinois?
The retailer has one remaining Illinois store located at 1901 River Oaks Drive in Calumet City.
Full list of West Marine store closures
A full list of the 59 store closures across 23 states can be viewed on the West Marine website.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Outdoor retailer West Marine to close all but one Illinois store
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall and Saleen Martin, USA TODAY NETWORK / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Hannah Hudnall and Saleen Martin, USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network
