I wanted to give everyone a heads up that if you plan on giving gift cards around the holidays or if you RECEIVE gift cards from any of the following stores, you need to be careful that the cards will not be honored after the holidays. Use the list below to see if all of a particular store is closing so you can use the card right away or if their will still be a store available in your area or online

Stores that are planning to close after Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though the cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as 'Bankruptcy Planning).Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be cautious about.

Make sure you check with any of these stores prior to purchasing gift cards.

Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)

Ann Taylor -1 17 stores nationwide closing

Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's - closing 150 stores nationwide

Eddie Bauer - to close stores 27 stores and more after January

Cache - closing all stores

Talbots - closing down specialty stores

J. Jill - closing all stores (owned by Talbots)

Pacific Sunwear (- also owned by Talbots)

GAP - closing 85 stores

Footlocker - closing 140 stores more to close after January

Wickes Furniture - closing down

Levitz - closing down remaining stores

Bombay - closing remaining stores

Zales - closing down 82 stores and 105 after January

Whitehall - closing all stores

Piercing Pagoda - closing all stores

Disney - closing 98 stores and will close more after January.

Home Depot - closing 15 stores 1 in NJ (New Brunswick)

Macys - to close 9 stores after January

Linens and Things - closing all stores

Movie Galley - Closing all stores Pep Boys Closing 33 stores

Sprint/Nextel - closing 133 stores

JC Penney - closing a number of stores after January

Ethan Allen - closing down 12 stores.

Wilson Leather - closing down all stores

Sharper Image - closing down all stores

K B Toys - closing 356 stores

Lowes - to close down some stores

Dillard's - closing some stores


Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Thanks for the timely tip, Penny.
It's scary to see so many familiar names on the list of stores. I think it is unethical to sell cards if they cannot be honored. We usually buy the Visa or Amex gift cards.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

Priya yes it is scary and you do it the safer way by going with the Visa or Amex card that can be used at any store. Here in NY last year a lot of people got nearly got burned when the Roadhouse Restaurant closed down right after Christmas. Luckily for them, the Texas Roadhouse restaurant sent out a public notice that they would honor the gift cards from the competitor restaurant which was really a nice thing to do

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Thanks for the tip Penny

sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

Now some of these businesses may have been put on this list in error so you should double check to be sure. I know that I did check out some of the stores that are in my area to make sure that they were either staying open or taking the gift cards online.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

One retailer that I heard is not closing is Movie Gallery, They may be closing some of their HOLLYWOOD VIDEO acquisitions though

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

i heard about most of them, Penny..

had not heard about Linens and Things.! ugh.

are they affiliated with Bed Bath and Beyond?


whoa..things are getting into difficult times.!

alice



...


USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39