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November 10, 2008 5:40 AM PST

Circuit City files for bankruptcy

by Margaret Kane
(Credit: Circuit City Stores / Richard Cadan Photography)

Struggling electronics chain Circuit City announced Monday that it has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Chapter 11 allows a company to hold off creditors while it attempts to restructure its finances. Circuit City said Monday that it has negotiated a commitment for a $1.1 billion debtor-in-possession revolving credit facility to supplement its working capital.

Circuit City announced earlier this month that it would shutter 155 stores and lay off 17 percent of its workforce. The retailer said Monday that it will eliminate an additional 700 positions in addition to the reductions resulting from the store closings, bringing the total layoff projection to around 20 percent of its employees. According to the company's FAQ, in February it had approximately 45,900 employees, not including workers taken on during peak selling periods.

"We appreciate the support we have received from our lenders in the midst of such a tight credit market," acting CEO and vice chairman James A. Marcum said. "With this support, we believe we have the opportunity to leverage our market position and the strength of our brand to restore Circuit City to solid financial footing."

See also: "For Circuit City, holidays not looking happy."

Margaret is news editor for CNET News, based in the Boston bureau. She also oversees the CNET Blog Network. E-mail Margaret.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) (24 Comments)
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by ThatGuy2-1 November 10, 2008 6:30 AM PST
NOOOOOOO ... now the evil BestBuy will be the only place I can go to!!! I've been avoiding BestBuy since the day they screwed me over and shopping at Circuit City, I guess my purchases aren't enough to float the boat ... *sad*
Reply to this comment
by geolemon November 10, 2008 7:19 AM PST
They aren't closing! Relax! They are restructuring! None of MY local stores are closing, and it might be the same by you too! Honestly, this could be a great thing for CC...
by humanssssss November 10, 2008 8:01 AM PST
Then don't shop at BestBuy. BestBuy is a retailer. You can find what they sell online.
by apisano November 10, 2008 6:49 AM PST
This was no suprise. I fighred that they would try to stay afloat till after Xmas. With the holiday season looking to be one of the worst in history they just might not make it to Dec. 31st.
Reply to this comment
by jlm429 November 10, 2008 6:49 AM PST
or use the intertubes
Reply to this comment
by Ebeale November 10, 2008 6:52 AM PST
Maybe the Government should bail them out.
Reply to this comment
by Grumpypaul November 10, 2008 7:04 AM PST
The Circuit City near me was a terrible store to enter. The sound system was literally deafening. Conversations could only be had by yelling. The sales help seemed to "know it all" but had no answers that made any sense. I'm sorry to see any retailer fold, if only for the poor employees, but if I used my local CC as a yardstick, then they aren't going to close soon enough.

And the wizard store planners who thought that a CC right outside a Costco was a GOOD idea deserve to be unemployed!!!
Reply to this comment
by RobertinOhio November 10, 2008 7:22 AM PST
Down with Circuit City! Serves them right to go under (at least I hope they do) when they fired all those retail employees a couple of years ago and making them reapply for their jobs. Oh...and CC was PROFITABLE and NOT in trouble when they did that.
Reply to this comment
by iff2mastamatt November 10, 2008 12:49 PM PST
I liked CC. At least where I live, the employees were very helpful and CC has the best prices. 90% of all the stuff I bought from Best Buy broke within 3 months. However, I don't think CC will disappear, but it may be more like an office max or compUSA.
by Idyot November 10, 2008 7:27 AM PST
Maybe they'll do the CompUSA thing and become an on-line store with just a dozen or so brick and mortar stores near its corporate HQ. After several years of recapitalizing (OK, a decade) it might begin to add more stores - and the circle of life continues. :)

Then again, what do I know? I'm just a idyot.
Reply to this comment
by eeee November 10, 2008 7:29 AM PST
===Circuit City seemingly has dopes in charge: remember how they fired most of the more experieinced and slightly higher paid sales people and kept the newer and lower paid not even 1 year ago? They were blasted in liberal and conservative publications for screwing the older loyal employees who served them well over the years..
==Circuit city sells tons more variety than a Costco does. Costco is doing well because they have not built too many stores and overextended themselves with debt upon debt.
===Yes the noise in most of them is horrible but it is even worse in Best Buy: officially in NY BB stores EVERY audio device and TV has to be on with sound playing. For a audio retailer of high end lines BB has THE WORST PA systems: systems that would be great in a factory or in a ship yard.
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by November 10, 2008 7:41 AM PST
This would be a good time to find a local computer store to support. Things might not be as cheap but you can't beat the service.
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by stlwest November 10, 2008 10:05 AM PST
Innovate or die...walking into Circuit City you are greeted with the Returns counter and a long grey walkway, walking into Best Buy you walk right into the TV section and can see where stuff is from the front of the store. Half of Circuit City was used up on appliances and other useless junk like vacuum cleaners. The measure should be when you walk into the store that you say "Wow, this is gonna be cool"
Reply to this comment
by baisa November 10, 2008 10:40 AM PST
It is not filing for *bankruptcy* -- it is filing for **bankruptcy protection** -- jeez, can't journalists ever get this straight? When a company files for *bankruptcy* that means it is going bankrupt, period. A company that files for Chapter 11 is seeking protection from creditor actions while it re-organizes, to AVOID going bankrupt.
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by JoeF2 November 10, 2008 10:53 AM PST
It is chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code, so "filing for bankruptcy" is correct.
What you talk about is liquidation, which is chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code.
by kaibelf November 10, 2008 11:02 AM PST
Aww man NOW where am I supposed to get Microsoft Equipt.... *weep*
Reply to this comment
by adam_hartung November 10, 2008 11:22 AM PST
Remember when Circuit City was a favorite in "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. Remember when we thought being big gave you clout with customers and vendors to produce long-term returns (Michael Porter's 5 Forces Model). It's time we recognize that the old approach to management doesn't work in a rapidly shifting competitive world. There are winners in today's market, but they follow a different approach. Read more at http://www.ThePhoenixPrinciple.com
Reply to this comment
by Stang5150 November 10, 2008 12:01 PM PST
I've always walked around CC and Best Buy to find what I want so I can actually look at the product, then run home and order it online cheaper. That's with shipping!


Thank you Al Gore for the Internet!!! Sorry Circuit City. I guess my internet shopping has let you down just like Egghead and CompUsa. :(
Reply to this comment
by jesseppers November 11, 2008 7:21 AM PST
That's funny you should say that. I recently used Circuit City to try out a stereo that I bought online, $100 dollars cheaper, no sales tax, and the shipping cost 6 cents! I hope they can stay around a little longer so that I can continue to use them for the display models of electronics, for deciding what I want to buy online. Circuit City screwed me over on a 2 year same as cash deal on a big screen. I could actually care less if they go under ot not. I can always read Cnets reviews on products, which have always proved reliable to me.
Reply to this comment
by lakings5 November 11, 2008 4:04 PM PST
test
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by lakings5 November 11, 2008 4:09 PM PST
AL G HAS GOTTEN HIS VENGENCE HE RAN CIRCUIT CITY HOLLYWOOD LOCATION FOR 8 YEARS AND IT WAS AWSOME STORE TO WORK AND TO SHOP,AND THEY DID HIM WRONG .WHEN HE LEFT HE TOLD EVERYONE THAT CC WOULD FAIL BECAUSE OF THERE DISTICT MANAGERS AND HIGHER UPS WITH THRE EGOS.GOD BLESS YOU AL G
Reply to this comment
by thisper November 19, 2008 9:46 AM PST
When you're a business in a financial pinch - sometimes it's good to invest in advertising and revamping company image.

Unfortunately, they have decided to resort to ultra-intrusive internet ads that try to "steal" clicks by unpredictably popping out of their borders and blocking the webpage, often times with undefined borders so you can't actually see where it's covering the webpage.

That's probably not the kind of image that's going to get you business, Circuit City. In fact, because of those ads and the times I've ended up at Circuit City's website after trying to click on another link as its ad popped out and "got me", I refuse to shop at CC.

I realize companies need to advertise, but there's a limit.
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by vkri2 December 16, 2008 4:32 AM PST
I always hate to see folks lose thier jobs. It's all a part of the American capitalist way, I guess.
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by killa222 February 9, 2009 12:05 PM PST
On May 27 2007 circuit city had been working on my car an had shorted out the battery an altnater an had hit me with my own car an blew out my knee an are refusing to pay me for the things they have done i filed a claim an they put it off an put it off an are now telling me to f off i have always hated that store i just hope i get whats coming to me i see they have
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