Apparently customers haven’t been loving fashion retailer Express Inc.’s clothing line as much as they expected. Now, the company has filed for bankruptcy and announced that they will be closing 100 of their retail stores as early as April 23, 2024.

Express Inc operates the stores known as Express, Express factory outlets, Bonobos, and UpWest. The company announced that 95 of the stores that will be closing are Express stores, and five of the stores they are closing are UpWest stores; however, they did not announce which locations they have decided to close.

Currently, the online presence of the stores will not be impacted, and the benefits of the Express Insider Program will also remain unchanged.

WMUR reports that Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, believes Express lost its footing because they failed to adapt to current lifestyle trends and fashion trends. He believes they were hurt partly because their clothing didn’t mesh with the more casual fashion bent for those working from home, and at the same time, it was too boring compared to the fashion options at competitors. He said, “Express brand itself has become less relevant to shoppers.”

If you’re a fan of Express, this news does not mean that the company is going out of business. Express Inc. CEO Stewart Glendinning stressed that the move to file bankruptcy and close stores will result in a stronger “financial position and enable Express to continue advancing our business initiatives.” In addition, WHP Global may be buying the company and has already given Express Inc. $35 million for the potential sale.

Glendinning commented about the relationship with WHP Global saying, “WHP has been a strong partner to the company since 2023, and the proposed transaction will provide us additional financial resources, better position the business for profitable growth and maximize value for our stakeholders.”

Watch the video below to learn more about the potential sale of Express Inc. and about the upcoming store closures.