I have a Frank's around the corner from me, and everything was marked down, I picked up a few things. Its been a convenient place for me to shop for crafts and plant stuff, not to mention Christmas stuff, I got my artificial Xmas tree at Frank's which I love to put up every holiday season. Hate to see the store go, it will leave a big empty space where I'm used to seeing it. 
But this is also a "heads up" for those of you looking for sales.
Frank's Nursery and Crafts Inc. will be closing its 169 stores nationwide, including those in Bethlehem and Whitehall Township.
Frank's, which filed Sept. 8 for Chapter 11 protection, decided to liquidate after it couldn't secure a loan to reorganize, according to its filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York City.
The company has obtained court approval to retain Keen Realty LLC of Great Neck, N.Y., to sell its stores. The Michigan-based retailer had locations in 14 states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but had no stores in Warren or Hunterdon counties.
It was unclear Tuesday how many area employees would be affected by the closing. A manager who answered the telephone at the Bethlehem store said the company had been keeping workers "totally in the dark." She also said she could not answer other questions.
A spokesman at Frank's headquarters in Troy, Mich., did not return a telephone message seeking comment.
Frank's cited a weak economy, bad weather and fewer customers as reasons for losses it has experienced since emerging from its first bankruptcy in 2002.
The Bethlehem store is at 2100 W. Union Blvd.; the Whitehall store is at 2108 MacArthur Road.
The company is also planning going-out-of-business sales, which also need court approval, at its stores, according to published reports.
But this is also a "heads up" for those of you looking for sales.
Frank's Nursery and Crafts Inc. will be closing its 169 stores nationwide, including those in Bethlehem and Whitehall Township.
Frank's, which filed Sept. 8 for Chapter 11 protection, decided to liquidate after it couldn't secure a loan to reorganize, according to its filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York City.
The company has obtained court approval to retain Keen Realty LLC of Great Neck, N.Y., to sell its stores. The Michigan-based retailer had locations in 14 states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but had no stores in Warren or Hunterdon counties.
It was unclear Tuesday how many area employees would be affected by the closing. A manager who answered the telephone at the Bethlehem store said the company had been keeping workers "totally in the dark." She also said she could not answer other questions.
A spokesman at Frank's headquarters in Troy, Mich., did not return a telephone message seeking comment.
Frank's cited a weak economy, bad weather and fewer customers as reasons for losses it has experienced since emerging from its first bankruptcy in 2002.
The Bethlehem store is at 2100 W. Union Blvd.; the Whitehall store is at 2108 MacArthur Road.
The company is also planning going-out-of-business sales, which also need court approval, at its stores, according to published reports.
