All Christmas Tree Shops are closing their doors for the last time on Saturday.
Some Christmas Tree Shops closed in July after the 53-year-old chain founded on Cape Cod filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. It has been liquidating all 70 of its remaining stores with plans to close, according to documents filed in a federal bankruptcy court.
The remaining locations in 16 states, including Massachusetts, are expected to close after a final shopping day on Saturday. The website list the normal store hours for the final few days, followed by it being listed as “closed.”
The stores close at 9 p.m.
“August 12 is the last day to save,” a Facebook post from the business read.
The pending liquidation was first reported in The Wall Street Journal. The Middleborough-based Christmas Tree Shops filed for bankruptcy in May and had hoped to emerge after shedding some of its stores.
But its lawyers told the bankruptcy court in July that it was unable to buy inventory and replenish its shelves, leading to lost sales and its current liquidation sale.
The liquidation event is being managed by Hilco Merchant Resources. In a press release, the company advertised “its Christmas savings in July.” Some items are now up to 90% off, the store said.
“In addition to holiday items and décor, these stores offer a huge selection of home décor, furniture, gifts and so much more, including popular brands, now at even lower prices,” the press release states.
But many were upset with the sales.
One TikTok user known as “novie333″ posted about price changes with different stickers after she went to a store in Lynnfield. The video has more than 1.6 million views as of Sunday morning.
“One single oven mitt, $14.99. Let’s pull it back,” she said in the video. The sticker under it shows $5.99.
“Shame on you, Christmas Tree Shop. Shame on you, marking things up like that and then taking only 10% off,” she said.
But according to the Washington Post, the price changes are legal.
Once inventory is sold to a liquidator, they can base discounts on the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, which, the newspaper explains, can be higher than what the store first charged.
“Look for new price stickers over old price tags or bar codes,” the Post wrote. “If you see lots of items with new stickers, odds are you are dealing with merchandise that has been marked up before sale.”
The Washington Post also reported the best sales might be closest to the closing date, calling it a “game of chicken.”
“As the sale goes on, discounts deepen, but there may be less merchandise available,” the article suggested.
See below for a list of Massachusetts locations closing Saturday.
- Avon, which is located at 15 Stockwell Drive
- Foxboro, which is located at 340 Patriot Place
- Holyoke, which is located at 39 Holyoke St.
- Hyannis, which is located at 655 Route 132
- Lynnfield, which is located at 28-34 Broadway Route 1 South
- North Attleboro, which is located at 1505 South Washington St.
- Shrewsbury, which is located at 1000 Boston Turnpike
- Somerville, which is located at 177 Middlesex Avenue
For the list of all U.S. locations, click here.
