All Tri-Cities Payless shoe stores now closing

The four remaining Tri-City Payless ShoeSource outlets are closing for good.

The discount shoe seller previously closed its store near Target in Kennewick but now is liquidating all 2,100 of its stores in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Topeka, Kan..-based company filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy code in 2017 and emerged in March after closing 673 stores and shedding $435 million in debt.

But that wasn’t enough to keep it afloat in an time of continuing challenges that have seen the closing of retailers such as Toys R Us, Sears and Shopko.

Online shopping has challenged many retailers, but analysts say Payless struggled to stay relevant with shoppers while other retailers like TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack focused on bargain shoppers.

5 Mid-Columbia stores

In the Tri-Cities, Payless operates stores at Kennewick Plaza, 2817 W. Kennewick Ave., Riverview Shopping Center, 3427 W. Court St., Pasco, at Columbia Center mall, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., and at the nearby Shopko shopping center, 867 N. Columbia Center.

The company also has an outlet at the Prosser Shopko, 471 Wine Country Road.

Payless officials have said the going-out-of-business sales will continue through the end of March, with some stories open until May.

This story was originally published February 18, 2019 at 12:29 PM.