National Stores

{{Short description|Defunct family-owned company headquartered in Los Angeles, California}}

{{Infobox company

| name = National Stores Inc.

| logo = Fallas_Stores_Trademark_Logo.jpg

| image =

| type = Private

| traded_as = Fallas Discount Stores

| industry = Retail

| foundation = {{start date and age|1962}} in Los Angeles, California

| defunct = {{end date and age|2022}}

| fate = closure

| founder = Joseph Fallas

| location = Harbor Gateway, Los Angeles, California

| locations = 88 (at its height in 2020)

| area_served = United States, Puerto Rico

| key_people =

| products = brand name clothing, private label clothing, shoes, household items

| owner = Michael Fallas

| num_employees = ≈2,200

| homepage = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906183557/https://www.fallasstores.net/ |title=Last snapshot of official Fallas website}}

| footnotes =

| intl =

| bodystyle =

}}

National Stores Inc., was a family-owned company headquartered in the Harbor Gateway area of Los Angeles, California that had as many as 88 locations in 5 states including Puerto Rico, and employed 2200 people nationwide in January 2022.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} As of 2023 National Stores Inc. no longer has any operating stores within the continental U.S. {{verification failed|date=May 2024|reason=A 2018 Wall Street Journal article cannot support events that might have happened 5 years in the future}}{{original research?|date=May 2024}}

National Stores Inc. had done business as: Fallas, Fallas Paredes, Fallas Discount Stores, Factory 2-U, Conway, Weiner's, CW Price, Falas (spelled with single "l" in Puerto Rico) and Anna's Linen's by Fallas, and offers brand name and private label clothing for men, ladies, boys, girls, juniors, infants and toddlers along with lingerie, shoes and household items."[https://www.factory2-u.com/aboutus.html About Our Company]." National Stores. Retrieved on February 24, 2010. {{dead link|date=May 2024}} Fallas Paredes had catered to the Hispanic American community.{{cite news |url= https://newsok.com/article/3932741 |title=Oklahoma City-area businesses cater to Hispanic market |newspaper=The Oklahoman |date=11 February 2014 |access-date=4 April 2017 |author=Bailey Brianna}}

History

National Stores was started in 1962 by Joseph Fallas in a single downtown Los Angeles store as Fallas Paredes.{{cite news |url=https://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040903/news_1b3ftus.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224233843/http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040903/news_1b3ftus.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 24, 2014 |title=S.D. clothing chain shrinking |newspaper=San Diego Union Tribune |date=3 September 2004 |access-date=25 December 2014 |last=Crabtree |first=Penni}}

The most recent CEO and owner of National Stores is Joseph's son, Michael Fallas, who started working as a stock boy at age five.{{cite web |url=https://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/metro-mix/article_b6bc0f8c-bfdc-5fea-a7d2-014539d1dfc2.html |title=Former Home of the Central Library Is Reborn as 88 Apartments |work=Downtown LA News |date=15 April 2011 |access-date=25 December 2014 |last=Guzman |first=Richard}}

=Expansion=

National Stores acquired 31 of the 97 Houston-area Weiner's store locations in 2001 when Weiner's began liquidation after filing for bankruptcy for the second time within five years.{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2001/08/20/story3.html?page=1|title=California retailer picks up Weiner's pieces|publisher=Houston Business Journal|date=19 August 2001|access-date=25 February 2010|author=Wollam, Allison}}

National Stores acquired San Diego, California-based Factory 2-U Stores, Inc. when it filed for bankruptcy protection in February 2004 and arranged for the sale of 172 stores to National Stores.{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2004/08/30/daily46.html|title=Factory 2-U going out of business|publisher=Houston Business Journal|date=3 September 2004|access-date=24 December 2014}} In August 2004, Factory 2-U stores liquidated, receiving $28.5 million from the sale to Factory 2-U Liquidation LLC, a consortium headed by National Stores.{{cite web|url=https://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=136110|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224221938/http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=136110|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 24, 2014|title=Factory 2-U to close|publisher=Portland Tribune|date=6 September 2004|access-date=24 December 2014|author=Gill, Holly M.}}

National Stores acquired the Conway Stores chain in January 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.fierceretail.com/story/report-conway-sold-national-stores-inc-entire-buying-office-staff-laid/2014-01-10|title=Report: Conway sold to National Stores Inc., entire buying office staff laid off|publisher=FierceRetail.com|date=10 January 2014|access-date=4 February 2014|author=Melton, Nicole Marie}}

On August 27, 2015, National Stores performed a store lease takeover auction of 41 Anna's Linens store leases out of a debtor's sale.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocbj.com/news/2015/aug/28/annas-linens-postpones-part-auction/ |title=Anna's Linens Postpones Part of Auction|publisher=Orange County Business Journal|date=28 August 2015|access-date=23 September 2015|author=DiMartino, Mediha}} Some previously Anna's Linens stores in certain locations will be branded "Anna's Linens by Fallas" according to the intellectual property rights acquired by National Stores and will continue the basic Anna's Linen product offering.{{cite press release|url=https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/08/13/760568/10146014/en/Retail-Brand-Anna-s-Linens-Intellectual-Property-To-Be-Sold.html|title=Retail Brand Anna's Linens Intellectual Property To Be Sold|publisher=GlobeNewsWire.com|date=13 August 2015|access-date=20 October 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.280metrocenter.com/store.aspx?ref=029|title=Anna's Linens by Fallas|publisher=280MetroCenter.com|access-date=20 October 2015|author=Kimco Realty|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226165353/http://280metrocenter.com/store.aspx?ref=029|archive-date=26 February 2015}}

=Closings=

In the second quarter of 2016, National Stores leaves a 600,000-square-foot regional distribution center in Otay Mesa, California and moves to a building development by Sares-Regis (SRG) in Perris, California, signing a $26 million 10-year lease, in an effort to realize a more centralized logistic location.{{cite news|last=BIBERMAN|first=THOR KAMBAN|date=26 May 2015|title=National Stores vacating Otay Mesa building|url=http://www.sddt.com/News/article.cfm?SourceCode=20150526czg#.V0u1hyMrKL0|newspaper=The Daily Transcript|location=Perris, California|access-date=29 May 2016}}

In August 2018, National Stores filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with plans to close 74 of its 344 stores under a reorganization plan.{{cite news|last=RIZZO|first=LILLIAN|date=6 August 2018|title=Discounter National Stores files for chapter 11 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/national-stores-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-1533559969?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1?mod=mktw|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|location=New York, New York|access-date=16 August 2018}} The liquidation sales expanded to 184 Fallas and Factory 2-U stores starting in October 2018.{{cite news|last=Hilco Merchant Resources|author-link=Hilco Global|date=12 October 2018|title=Store Closing Sales Begin Immediately At 184 Select National Stores As Part Of A Recent Chapter 11 Filing|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/store-closing-sales-begin-immediately-at-184-select-national-stores-as-part-of-a-recent-chapter-11-filing-300730369.html|newspaper=prnewswire|location=Chicago, Illinois|access-date=15 October 2018}}

National Stores began to close more Fallas Paredes stores in early 2022.{{cite news |url=https://www.epnewsleader.com/post/fallas-paredes-abruptly-closes-mall-de-las-aguilas-store |title=Fallas Paredes 'abruptly' closes Mall de Las Aguilas store |date=January 29, 2020 |newspaper=El Paso Times}}

{{cite news |url=https://santamariatimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/fallas-discount-store-closing-in-santa-maria-after-8-years/article_68c22438-e104-5577-a372-85ae43256e57.html |title=Fallas Discount Store closing in Santa Maria after 8 years |first=Joshua |last=Nelson |date=March 30, 2022 |newspaper=Santa Maria Times}}{{cite news |url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/article262132397.html |title=This discount clothing store chain is shutting down its three Fresno locations. Here's why |first=Jim |last=Guy |date=June 3, 2022 |newspaper=Fresno Bee}}{{cite news |url=https://missionlocal.org/2022/06/fallas-closing-in-july/ |title=Mission mainstay Falla's to close in July. Will it be reborn? |first=William |last=Jenkins |date=June 15, 2022 |work=Mission Local}}{{cite news |url=https://cbs4local.com/newsletter-daily/fallas-discount-store-in-downtown-el-paso-closing |title=Fallas Discount store in downtown El Paso closing |date=July 6, 2022 |work=KDBC-TV}} The COVID epidemic was cited as the cause of some of the closings.{{cite news |url=https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/money/2020/07/31/downtown-el-paso-fallas-store-closes-due-to-covid-19-tied-sales-cuts/5549000002/ |title=Downtown Fallas store closes due to COVID-19 sales cuts; building renovation still possible |first=Vic |last=Kolenc |newspaper=El Paso Times |date=July 31, 2020}}

On August 31, 2022, National Stores closed all remaining locations throughout Puerto Rico and the contiguous United States as a result of further restructuring and liquidation of remaining assets.{{citation needed|date=May 2024|reason=None of the existing citations mentions a August 31, 2022, closing date.}}

=Celebrity Endorsement=

In November 2014, National Stores partnered with Latin American actress / musical artist Maite Perroni to introduce her Coleccion Maite Perroni, a contemporary fashion line inspired by her favorite designers reflecting her own personal taste.{{cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/latina-superstar-maite-perroni-partnering-with-national-stores-inc-to-launch-fashion-collection-in-the-united-states-281601281.html |title=Latina Superstar Maite Perroni Partnering With National Stores Inc. To Launch Fashion Collection In The United States |via=PR Newswire |date=5 November 2014 |access-date=24 December 2014 |work=National Stores Inc.}}

References

External links

{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906183557/https://www.fallasstores.net/ |title=Last snapshot of official Fallas website}}

Category:1962 establishments in California

Category:Companies based in Los Angeles

Category:American companies established in 1962

Category:Retail companies established in 1962

Category:Discount stores of the United States

Category:Family-owned companies of the United States

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018