Naartjie Kicks Off Going-Out-of-Business Sales: All Kids Clothes Mus...

Going-out-of-business sales are scheduled to begin this weekend at children’s clothing chain Naartjie Kids, which sought bankruptcy protection in mid-September.

The sales will take place at all 55 of Naartjie’s U.S. stores, in states including California, Georgia, Utah, New York, Texas and Virginia. Founded in South Africa in 1989, Naartjie makes clothing, accessories and shoes for newborns through tweens that embrace bright, colorful designs. The company debuted to American shoppers in 2001.

Great American Group LLC will run the sales after beating out two competitors during 12 hours of bidding at a Thursday bankruptcy auction. Friday, a bankruptcy court judge in Utah signed off on Great American’s hire and authorized the company to begin the sales. Great American’s offer—to pay Naartjie 116.8% of the cost value of the merchandise—is expected to bring in $8.1 million to help pay back lenders and creditors.

In court filings, Naartjie says it expects the sales to run until mid-January.

Visitors can expect to find hundreds of items up for grabs. An extensive inventory list included in court filings gives a peak at popular items such as fleece pants, striped leggings and floral tunics, along with flower bikinis, hooded pullovers and ballerina dresses. (Check out the full list here.)

In addition to inventory already on store shelves and in two Naartjie warehouses, the sales will include holiday items currently being held in ports in New York and Oakland, an attorney for one of Naartjie’s manufacturers said in court Friday. Additional clothing being made in China may also join the sales if the manufacturer can retrieve the goods in time, the attorney said.

Any holders of Naartjie gift cards should act fast—Great American is only required to accept such payments for the first 30 days.

Write to Sara Randazzo at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @sara_randazzo.