wonderwall

Steve & Barry’s To Close 103 Stores, Begins Liquidation


PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (AP) — Discount clothing chain Steve & Barry’s, the exclusive retailer of Laird Hamilton’s Wonderwall brand, has begun final liquidation sales at the 103 locations it will be closing following its takeover last month by BHY Holdings LHC, an affiliate of investment firms Bay Harbour Management and York Capital Management.

Steve & Barry’s LLC, based in Port Washington, N.Y., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July after ambitious growth plans were hurt by slower consumer spending and the credit squeeze.

A bankruptcy court approved the $163 million acquisition in August. Under terms of the deal the company is closing nearly half its locations to operate with a smaller base of 173 stores, in an effort to achieve profitability.

Final liquidation sales have begun at the closing locations and the last day of sales for 24 stores will be Sept. 24. Other stores will close soon after.

The company still plans to open a retail location in New York “over the next few months”, but no other new stores are planned.

On the Web: steveandbarrys.com

Press Release

Steve & Barry’s Acquisition Approved

Steve & Barry’s LLC, the discount apparel retailer that distributes Laird Hamilton’s Wonderwall clothing line, announced that BHY S&B Holdings LLC, a newly formed affiliate of investment firms Bay Harbour Management and York Capital Management, has received bankruptcy court approval to acquire substantially all assets of Steve & Barry’s. The acquisition is scheduled to be completed Monday, August 25th.

Under the terms of the $163 million purchase agreement, the majority of Steve & Barry’s 276 stores will continue to serve customers nationwide, offering exclusive collections created with entertainers and athletes including Sarah Jessica Parker, Venus Williams, Amanda Bynes, Laird Hamilton, Ben Wallace and Bubba Watson, all of whom maintain a licensing relationship with Steve & Barry’s. BHY S&B Holdings has made no decisions concerning which Steve & Barry’s stores will close or when, although an announcement is anticipated in the next week.

In addition to acquiring merchandise inventories and transfer rights to Steve & Barry’s store leases, BHY S&B Holdings will acquire all Steve & Barry’s intellectual property rights, including its celebrity and brand licenses, and the company’s key facilities, including its Port Washington, New York headquarters, Columbus, Ohio distribution center, and certain overseas offices.

Bay Harbour Management is an SEC registered investment advisor with significant experience in purchasing distressed companies and effectuating their turnaround. The firm’s holdings have included the retailer Barneys New York, the facilities based CLEC Telcove, and the former Aladdin Casino, now operating on the Las Vegas strip as the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino following its rebranding and turnaround.

York Capital Management is an SEC registered investment advisor with offices in New York, London, and Hong Kong with more than $15 billion in assets under management. York Capital was founded in 1991 and specializes in value oriented and event driven equity and credit investments.

Press Release

Update: Steve & Barry’s Faces Fire Sale

Apparel retailer Steve & Barry’s does not have the money to proceed with a Chapter 11 filing and must liquidate all assets by July 31.

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mike lewis

Laird Hamilton And Steve & Barry’s Launch Surf, Skate Clothing Line

The world’s greatest big wave surfer and epic waterman Laird Hamilton is teaming up with Steve & Barry’s® to launch Wonderwall™, a surf and skate collection for men that will debut May 15, 2008.

» Read Full Story

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