Circuit City Files for Bankruptcy – Mergers, Acquisitions, Venture Capital, Hedge Funds — DealBook – New York Times

via Circuit City Files for Bankruptcy – Mergers, Acquisitions, Venture Capital, Hedge Funds — DealBook – New York Times

 

Circuit City Stores, the struggling electronics retailer, filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, becoming one of the biggest, best-known corporate names to collapse amid the faltering economy.

Circuit City filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, where the Richmond, Va., company is based. The company has 712 stores and 9 outlet stores, according to a court filing.

The company has long been an also-ran in the consumer electronics sector, consistently trailing its larger rival, Best Buy. Circuit City has faced several challenges this year, including a proxy contest mounted by an activist investor and a shakeup in its management this summer.

Retailers have been especially hard hit by the slowdown in consumer spending and the clampdown in the credit markets. Circuit City announced last week that it was closing 155 stores and laying off 17 percent of its work force, or about 1,300 employees.