Defunct Brands in Retail — Data-Driven List

Explore 12 discontinued or defunct brands in Retail. Quick timelines, fate, and links to each profile.

• Fry's Electronics
  1985–2021 • Operations ceased in February 2021 after years of decline and a shift to a consignment inventory model.
  Retail
• Best Buy Mobile
  2007–2018 • Standalone mall stores closed in 2018; mobile departments continued inside full-line Best Buy stores.
  Retail
• Sears (Canada)
  1952–2018 • Sears Canada filed for creditor protection in 2017 and closed all of its remaining stores by January 2018 after failing to find a buyer.
  Retail
• Toys "R" Us
  1948–2018 • Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy in September 2017 and announced it would close all US stores in 2018. Most locations shut down by June 2018. The brand name was sold to new owners who later opened small stores and put Toys R Us sections inside Macy's department stores.
  Retail
• American Apparel
  1989–2017 • Entered Chapter 11 in Oct 2015 and again in Nov 2016; intellectual property acquired by Gildan Activewear in Jan 2017. U.S. retail stores closed; brand later continued online under new ownership.
  Retail
• Borders
  1971–2011 • Capture 11 bankruptcy in February 2011, followed by liquidation and closure of all stores later that year
  Retail
• Circuit City
  1949–2009 • Liquidation of all U.S. retail stores in early 2009 following a Chapter 11 filing until later resurfaced online under new owners.
  Retail
• KB Toys
  1922–2009 • Liquidation of remaining stores in 2009 following late-2008 bankruptcy; trademarks later saw intermittent online/popup revivals.
  Retail
• Linens 'n Things
  1975–2008 • Filed Chapter 11 in 2008 and liquidated U.S. stores; brand later relaunched online under new ownership.
  Retail
• Casual Corner
  1950–2005 • Liquidation and closure of remaining stores in 2005 after a multi-year wind-down of the chain and related concepts.
  Retail
• Kinney Shoes
  1894–1998 • Closed, even as athletic speciality banners like Foot Locker continued under the corporate successor
  Retail
• Woolworth (US)
  1879–1997 • The last American Woolworth stores closed in July 1997. The company changed its name to Venator Group and later became Foot Locker, Inc., which still runs shoe stores today.
  Retail