CJ Banks

Christopher & Banks

File:Christopher & Banks Logo.svg
Company type	Privately held
Industry	Retail
Founded	1956 (1956)
Founder	Gil Braun
Headquarters	Plymouth, Minnesota , United States
Number of locations	451 (February 2020) 5 (January 2022)
Products	Women's apparel
Owner	iMedia Brands, Inc. (2021–present)
Parent	IV Media, LLC (2023–present) (Innovation Ventures, LLC)
Divisions	CJ Banks (Plus Size)
Website	https://www.christopherandbanks.com/

Christopher & Banks retail location inside a shopping mall in Oregon

Christopher & Banks, initially launched as Brauns Fashions, is a U.S.-based retail brand. Headquartered in the Minneapolis suburb of Plymouth, Minnesota, the company primarily targets women aged 40 to 60 with its clothing lines.

Following a bankruptcy filing in January 2021 attributed to financial setbacks amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Christopher & Banks shuttered all physical stores. Subsequently, iMedia Brands, Inc. acquired the company’s assets and intellectual property in early 2021.

On August 16, 2023, the brand was part of an asset sale by its parent company to IV Media, a subsidiary of Innovation Ventures, LLC, for $55 million.

As of September 30, 2024, Christopher & Banks operates through an e-commerce platform alongside seven physical retail outlets.

History

Founded in Minneapolis in 1956 under the name Brauns Fashions, the company transitioned into a publicly traded corporation in 1992. In 2000, it underwent rebranding to become Christopher & Banks and subsequently launched a secondary brand, CJ Banks, which specialized in plus-size apparel.

In November 2004, Christopher & Banks expanded its portfolio by acquiring Acorn Stores, introducing it as a third retail format. However, after announcing its decision on July 31, 2008, the company shuttered all 36 Acorn locations by the conclusion of that year.

On April 4, 2005, the firm revised its consolidated income statements for the fiscal years ending March 1, 2003, and February 28, 2004, along with interim periods within the fiscal year ending February 26, 2005. This restatement reclassified construction allowance amortization as a deduction from rent expense rather than depreciation expense.

Starting in 2014, Christopher & Banks began discontinuing CJ Banks outlets, integrating plus-size merchandise into their primary Christopher & Banks stores. Where CJ Banks stores were adjacent to Christopher & Banks locations, they were merged into larger unified retail spaces.

In January 2021, the company declared bankruptcy and announced plans to close all its stores due to financial difficulties attributed to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these former locations have since been occupied by other retailers, notably Daily Thread.

After filing for bankruptcy, the brand was revived under new ownership by Minnesota-based iMedia Brands. As of September 2024, seven stores have reopened in various cities including Ankeny, Iowa; Birch Run, Michigan; Branson, Missouri; Coon Rapids, Minnesota; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Omaha, Nebraska; and Wichita, Kansas.

On June 28, 2023, iMedia Brands itself filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, marking the second bankruptcy event for the Plymouth-based company within two years. Subsequently, on August 16, Christopher & Banks was sold as part of IMBI’s assets for $55 million to IV Media.

External links

• Official website of Christopher & Banks
• Christopher & Banks Store Locations