Business & Tech

Farewell Loehmann's. Area Outlets Are Going Out of Business

The women's off-price department store chain is liquidating all of its 39 stores including the Norwalk location after 93 years.


Written by Leslie Yager.

Loehmann's is going out of business and liquidating all merchandise. All 39 stores including the Norwalk and White Plains, NY location will close.   

On Friday morning, an employee at the Norwalk Loehmann's store at 467 West Ave. said that staff had only been notified on Wednesday that Loehmann's will be closing and the sale started Thursday, Jan. 9. The clerk said she'd never seen the store as busy as Thursday, and that customers had queued up the entire length of the rope line to pay for purchases.   

On Friday every rack of merchandise was topped with signs indicating additional discounts ranging from 10-30 percent off. The sales also were being held at the White Plains store, 29 Tarrytown Rd.

Known to many women for its "Back Room" full of discounted designer clothes, others may recall Loehmann's communal dressing room at the Norwalk location, which, for better or worse was replaced with private dressing rooms at some point in recent years.

Founded 1921 by Frieda Loehmann in Brooklyn, the chain eventually grew to 93 locations after her death in 1962. 

Loehmann's Facebook page, with 161,458 Likes, boasts, "The Biggest Deal in Designer Fashions!" and asks, "Have you seen Loehmann’s lately?" The suggestion seems to be taken literally. On Friday, a comment from one fan suggests, "I would like a moment of silence in memory-all the fashionistas out will understand."

Another comment reads: "I worked at Loehmanns all through high school in the early 80s. Ill never forget cutting labels from clothing, typing tags on an old manual typewriter, inventory night, or the magic of The Back Room. It truly a special place and I am proud to have been an Associate."

If you've never been to Loehmann's and want to check out the liquidation sale at the Norwalk location, look for people holding portable signs. There is a person stationed at each corner of the intersection of West Ave and Maple St., as well as a person at the entrance to the shopping center driveway.

Do you have memories of shopping at the Loehmann's store? Tell us in the comments.


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