Sur La Table
Sur La Table, a cookware retailer, was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, filing for bankruptcy in early July and announcing plans to close nearly half of its 121 locations. The remainder would be sold to a private equity firm. Sur La Table was founded in 1972 in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Shirley Collins, the company’s founder, had a simple idea; according to the company, “Make good food. Share it. Do so often.” In addition to selling kitchen and dining room products, the chain also offers in-store and online cooking classes.
Sur La Table
Brooks Brothers
When many Americans worked from home in shorts and soiled polo shirts, selling suits and other fine clothing to men and women is difficult. That’s part of the story behind Brooks Brothers’ bankruptcy filing and store closures, which dates back to 1818. It is the oldest continuously operating clothing brand in the US. The retailer has never had to deal with anything like the coronavirus in its 200-plus-year history. On the other hand, Brooks Brothers had been on the decline even before COVID-19, thanks to lax work dress codes and the growing popularity of online shopping.
Brooks Brothers
