Sport Chalet made a surprise announcement Saturday morning that it is going out of business and closing all doors before the end of the month and starting going-out-of business sales today.
It also closed its e-commerce site today.
Sport Chalet made the announcement in an email to its loyalty program customers.
There had been speculation that Sport Chalet and parent company Vestis Retail Group might file for bankruptcy, and that Sport Chalet might close underperforming doors, but not many brand executives I talked to had predicted that the company would go out of business all together.
Currently Sport Chalet has about 50 stores in three states, and most are 45,000 square feet, according to the Sport Chalet website.
Sport Chalet is a large and important customer for snow, surf and skate brands, and until 2014 had a close relationship with the industry. In 2014, Vestis Retail Group acquired the chain, adding Sport Chalet to a sporting goods portfolio that included Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob’s Stores.
Here is the email sent on Saturday:
Dear Loyal Customer,
Today Sport Chalet will begin the process of closing all of our stores and will stop selling merchandise online.
Store closing sales will begin at the open of business today and continue over the next several weeks, offering customers the opportunity to take advantage of great sales.
Our online store will stop selling merchandise on April 16th, but you may visit our website, www.SportChalet.com to find the location closest to you.
Sport Chalet gift cards, rewards certificates and store credits will be honored in Sport Chalet stores through April 29th, 2016.
Customers who are unable to visit us before this date are invited to transfer gift card balances to a gift card from one of our sister stores, Eastern Mountain Sports or Bob’s Stores through July 29th, 2016. To transfer your balance, please contact customer service at (888) 801-9162 and an agent will assist you.
We also ask that you pick up any equipment that had been left in one of our stores for repair no later than April 29th, 2016 and ask you to return Sport Chalet rental equipment before this date.
Thank you for your loyalty over the years. We hope to see you at our store closing sales.
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