Discount Chain's Bankruptcy Leaves Future Of CA Stores In Doubt

CALIFORNIA — After recently expressing doubts about its chances for long-term survival, beleaguered retailer Big Lots declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday. The move comes a month after the retailer announced the closure of 300 locations nationwide.

The chain last month announced the closure of 74 individual stores in California. While no additional store closings have been announced, Big Lots in its bankruptcy filing said it plans "to continue optimizing our store footprint" during its reorganization process.

"Though most of our stores are profitable, and we are taking every step possible to improve the profitability of all our stores, we will need to close certain locations to ensure that our business operates efficiently and we can continue serving our customers," the company stated in a release.

Big Lots said its stores and online shopping site will continue to operate as usual. The retailer expects to be able to continue to honor gift cards and store credit cards.

Big Lots has 1,392 stores nationwide, and California's 109 stores mark its biggest market. The 74 stores set to close in California make up almost 70 percent of its footprint in the Golden State.

The stores marked for closure have been offering discounts of up to 20 to 30 percent off ahead of their shuttering. The discounts have been advertised by people holding signs outside the stores across the state.

Along with the bankruptcy filing, Big Lots has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Nexus Capital Management LP, a Los Angeles-based investment firm.

Founded in 1967, the company operated in its infancy as Consolidated International and operated closeout and discount stores under a variety of names. In 2001, the various store names and company were converted to the single national Big Lots brand.

The stores to-be-closed are identified individually on Big Lots online store locator. Big Lots has not indicated when the stores will be closed. No additional California stores have been earmarked to close since last month.

Here's the complete list of stores that will be closing:

• Anaheim — 1670 W. Katella Ave
• Anaheim Hills — 6336 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road
• Atascadero — 2240 El Camino Real
• Atwater — 1085 Bellevue Road
• Bakersfield — 1211 Olive Drive
• Bakersfield — 2621 Fashion Place
• Beaumont — 1482 E. 2nd St.
• Camarillo — 353 Carmen Drive
• Canyon Country — 19331 Soledad Canyon Road
• Ceres — 1611 E. Hatch Road
• Chico — 1611 E. Hatch Road
• Chino — 12550 Central Ave.
• Concord — 2060 Monument Blvd.
• Corona — 740 N. Main St.
• Culver City — 5587 Sepulveda Blvd.
• Delano — 912 County Line Road
• El Cajon — 1085 E. Main St.
• Elk Grove — 8539 Elk Grove Blvd.
• Fairfield — 1500 Oliver Road
• Folsom — 9500 Greenback Lane
• Fontana — 17575 Foothill Blvd.
• Watsonville — 1986 Freedom Blvd.
• Fresno — 3520 W. Shaw Ave.
• Fresno — 4895 E. Kings Canyon Road
• Fresno — 7370 N. Blackstone Ave.
• Gardena — 2900 W. Rosecrans Ave.
• Gilroy — 360 E. 10th St.
• Hercules — 1551 Sycamore Ave.
• Indio — 42225 Jackson St.
• La Habra — 1020 W. Imperial Highway
• La Mesa — 6145 Lake Murray Blvd.
• Livermore — 4484 Las Positas Road
• Lodi — 380 S. Cherokee Lane
• Lompoc — 1009 N. H St.
• Long Beach — 2238 N. Bellflower Blvd.
• Los Banos — 951 W. Pacheco Blvd.
• Manteca — 1321 W. Yosemite Ave.
• Merced — 665 Fairfield Drive
• Milpitas — 111 Ranch Drive
• Mission Viejo — 27142 La Paz Road
• Modesto — 3900 Sisk Road
• North Highlands — 3615 Elkhorn Blvd.
• Oceanside — 1702 Oceanside Blvd.
• Ontario — 4430 Ontario Mills Parkway
• Oroville — 1875 Oro Dam Blvd.
• East Paradise — 6646 Clark Road
• Placerville — 47 Fair Lane
• Rancho Santa Margarita — 30501 Avenida De Las Flores
• Redlands — 810 Tri City Center
• Riverside — 2620 Canyon Springs Parkway
• Rohnert Park — 565 Rohnert Park Expressway
• Sacramento — 6630 Valley Hi Drive
• Sacramento — 8700 La Riviera Drive
• Salinas — 370 Northridge Mall
• San Bernardino — 499 W Orange Show Road
• Santa Clara — 3735 El Camino Real
• Santa Maria — 1417 S. Broadway
• Santa Paula — 568 W. Main St.
• Santa Rosa — 2055 Mendocino Ave.
• Simi Valley — 1189 Simi Town Center Way
• Spring Valley — 633 Sweetwater Road
• Stockton — 2720 Country Club Blvd.
• Temecula — 27411 Ynez Road
• Torrance — 955 Sepulveda Blvd.
• Tracy — 2681 N. Tracy Blvd.
• Turlock — 1840 Countryside Drive
• Ukiah — 225 Orchard Plaza
• Vacaville — 818 Alamo Drive
• Victorville — 14790 La Paz Drive
• Visalia — 2525 S. Mooney Blvd.
• Whittier — 13241 Whittier Blvd.
• Woodland — 52 W. Court St.
• Yuba City — 1320 Franklin Road
• Yucca Valley — 56865 29 Palms Highway

Eric Heyl contributed reporting.