Layoffs and closures have hit the consumer market left and right this year. From the closure of many Family Dollar stores and the complete shutdown of $0.99 Cents Only, to the shuttering of all physical Outdoor Voices stores and implosion of Foxtrot Marketplace, it has been a rush of doors closed.
Now, more than 500 Rue 21 stores will join the ranks of businesses shuttering in 2024—but employees have been given more than a month’s notice, in some cases.
One employee of the fast fashion chain known for offering trendy low-cost clothing and accessories to young adults and teens has shared her reaction to the news of her store closing—and losing her job—to an unsympathetic audience.
In the 5-second video posted to TikTok by @lifetoldby_josie, she shows herself and a co-worker walking into the store with a text overlay stating that they were given four-to-six months notice of the closure after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“Walking into work this morning after learning we will be out of a job in 4-6 weeks, Thansk Rue21 for filing bankruptcy and not telling anyone,” the text overlay on the video reads.
The poster elaborated on her video in its caption, encouraging viewers to come shop the liquidation sales in the coming weeks.
“Welp…. Now yall know, come catch the liquidation sales all over the country,” she wrote.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @lifetoldby_josie via TikTok direct message as well as to Rue 21 via email regarding the video.
Why is Rue21 closing?
According to CNN, the former shopping mall staple has been dealing with “under-performing retail locations, increased industry competition and the uptick in online shopping, inflation and macroeconomic headwinds, and challenges raising capital.” It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the third time this week.
Many viewers were unsympathetic to the four-to-six week timeframe the poster and her co-workers were given to find new employment.
“4-6 weeks? Girl some people don’t know until the day before,” one commenter wrote. “That is a good amount of time”
“A hooters around where I live closed and didn’t tell ANYONE and the employees showed up to a closed building jobless,” another commenter wrote.
“Mattress firm filed bankruptcy,” a commenter wrote. “I lost my job THE NEXT DAY. I was the sole provider of a family of 4.”
Others shared that they were unsurprised, given what they wrote that they perceived as warning signs of a business in trouble—some even thought the chain had been closed for years by this point.
@lifetoldby_josie Welp…. Now yall know, come cstch the liquidation sales all over the country #rue21 #rue21Bankruptcy #fyp #lifeinretail @Kayley Phillips ♬ original sound – goldenbiscuit.tx
“Y’all didn’t suspect this when JCPenny started selling their clothes with the Rue21 branding?” one commenter wrote. “This started 2 years ago…”
“Has anybody ever been in a Rue21 and thought they were thriving?” another commenter wrote. “Every time I see one it looks like an indoor yard sale.”
“Rue 21 has been closed down since I was a kid?” a commenter wrote. “Lol I didn’t know there was still any open.”