Sale of Claire’s global business could include up to 77 Canadian stores: court docs

People walk past a Claire's store. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

New court documents show a deal to sell much of accessories retailer Claire’s global business to a Maryland-based serial investor could include up to 77 of the company’s Canadian stores.

While Claire’s had previously said Canadian stores would figure into a deal with a buyer group led by Ames Watson, the new court documents shed light on the extent of the sale.

The filings say the purchase price for the Canadian portion of the business is US$2.3 million but will be reduced by US$1.3 million to account for various service and professional costs.

The documents also show the chain’s U.S. arm will not participate in the first US$1 million of distributions from the Canadian business to unsecured creditors.

Ames Watson had previously revealed it would drop US$104 million in cash and US$36 million on a seller’s note in exchange for at least 795 global locations but as many as 950.

Court records show Claire’s had 103 leased store locations in Canada at the start of September but the company began liquidating the 26 not part of the Ames Watson deal after Claire’s filed for creditor protection in August.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2025.

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press