I don’t shop at Steve and Barry’s a lot since the two closest to me are still a bit of a drive, but I’d be sad if they closed down. I was just wearing some cute Bitten shorts yesterday and they were only $8.98!

One thing I will say about the store is that they don’t make the shopping experience overly pleasant. The clothes are usually just sort of piled around and everything always feels really picked through. I recently went to one of the S&B;’s in my neighborhood and they had a lot of cords and sweaters that I know they had there last fall, and those were the first things you saw when you walked in. The summer clothes were towards the back of the store. And they don’t really display things very well - on SJP’s site there are tons of photos of cute outfits, which really makes me want to go to the store and then when I get there there’s usually just a t-shirt and necklace on a mannequin. And it seems really random - my friend was looking for sailor pants and found one pair in the whole store.

I could go on and on, but I guess now I’m just ranting. I want to like S&B;but they make it kind of hard! Just because I’m buying inexpensive clothes doesn’t mean I don’t care about the experience. I don’t want to FEEL like I’m buying $9 shorts. Take some pride in your clothes, Steve and Barry’s!

I have to say, I haven’t been to Steve & Barry’s in awhile, but with my budget more crunched than ever I’d been thinking that this fall I’d head straight there to pick up what I need rather than my usual haunts. So, this worries me a little . . . hopefully they’ll pull through!

I’ll live.  The Steve & Barry’s near me is as cheap as dirt, and makes the Old Navy next door look like Bergdorff’s in comparison.  I have bought my son a few items there.

I haven’t been to a Steve and Barry’s in about four years, but I remember that their clothes were cute and affordable.  That would be too bad if they close down.

NOOOOOO! I’m a ‘ho’ for Steve and Barry’s! I travel a half hour to get to the nearest one to me so that I can get my cheap fashion fix! But I’d been wondering what was going on with this everything $9.98 sale that seemed to never end. I hope that they aren’t hurting too bad!

I won’t miss S&B;. The stores do look picked over (even Goodwills do better in that regard) and the merchandise looks super cheap. You don’t even feel like you’re getting a deal. You feel like you’re at a bad garage sale. Some places deserve to go out of business.

OMG I love love love steve and Barry’s. The one near my parents house is HUGE in an old super KMart. It might be picked over for popular sizes, but they always tell me when to come back after they get a truck. The clothes are great. I have lots of basics like polos, blouses, and jeans. They also have a good selection of bigger sizes than other budget stores like charlotte russe and forever 21. I like the Bitten line and eleven by venus williams. I hope they make it out!

Ok, so none of you have ever worked in retail, right? Why is everything picked over and why is the shopping experience less than stellar? BECAUSE… everything is $8.98!! and for a company to survive selling items at such low margin, labor support can not be what it should be. Not to mention that everyone thinks that they can throw everything on the floor because they feel like they are in a bargain bin due to price! And why do you think they filed bankruptcy? BECAUSE a company can only survive so long selling things at such a low margin. Remember , why you liked the store...the prices! There’s your answer the price.

So you have a company trying to start “a clothing revolution” and what happens when that idea is poorly executed. The company files Chapter 11 and who knows what is next? This has been a long time coming, no new stock, old items from last season, not to mention cutting labor over and over! This waas great company, with big ideas good for our struggling cunsumers but here they are strugging themselves. I guess we can chalk it up to a poorly run business at the top!

I don’t think that stores usually “come through” and bounce back once they file for Chapter 11, do they?  Correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s the last nail in the coffin.  Look at Sharper Image; they filed for Chapter 11, and now the last remaining stores are selling off the last of the inventory. I think Steve & Barry’s will need someone to bail them out (and buy the chain) in order to survive.