Payless Shoe Source To Permanently Close

Payless Shoe Source for trans women has been for years one of the go to places to find nice fashion forward shoes, boots and sandals in our double digit sizes at a reasonable price.

They went through a bankruptcy in April 2017 in which they closed over 500 stores in the US and emerged from bankruptcy protection 18 moths ago.

But when the Topeka, KS based Payless Shoe Source files for bankruptcy this time, it will close all 2300 remaining stores in the US and liquidate its inventory.

That's bad news for cis and trans women who wear hard to find sizes on the low and high end of the shoe size scale.   Payless shoes can start as small as a size 5 and go up to a size 13 and they do so at reasonable prices. 

Over the last few years they have stepped up the quality of those shoes, with Christian Siriano and Martha Stewart being two of the big names that have deals to sell their shoes lines there..

Payless will unfortunately become another of the big name brick and mortar store chains to die.  Sears is on life support ,and Toys R Us and The Bon-Ton Stores are retailers that have shuttered their doors in the last 12 months.

Looks like when they start the going out of business sale, need to be at my fave locations when the door opens because those 12's and 13's will be going fast.

Payless Filing For Bankruptcy

One of the things I inherited from my mom was a love of fashionable shoes, and while you petite divas would love to be my supermodel level height, it comes with the problem of trying to find those fashion forward shoes in a double digit shoe size.

I wear a size 12, but sometimes I'll go up one size when it's available for comfort.  Many department store shoe departments stop at size 10, or have very few shoes in sizes 11, 12 or 13 where many women are increasingly having to shop as the average women's shoe size gets larger.

Nordstroms is one of those that does carry a nice variety in sizes 11 or 12.   Some brands like Nine West  have them up to size 12, but once again, you have to order them online.   The same is true for DSW and Rack Room that only carry up to size 11, and you have to special order other styles that they carry in a size 12.   Shoe Carnival stores only carry them up to a size 10 or 11.

There are other online outlets like Zappos.com, shoes.com or Long Tall Sally for example, but it's always preferable to see and be able to try a pair of shoes first before you buy them.  Sometimes that shoe color looks great online but when you actually get it may not be exactly be the shade that you're looking for to go with an outfit and sometimes you can't return them if you bought them on sale..

And then there's the cost.   $75 and up, which is another problem when you're low income or on a budget.

Payless has long had the reputation in Trans World of being the 'Trans Woman's best friend' when it comes to finding fashionable shoes, bags and accessories at an easy on our wallet price.  

Its 4400 stores and 22,000 employees in the US and Puerto Rico have been a lifeline for many trans women trying find those nice shoes, flats, boots and pumps to go with a work or dressy outfit or simply for everyday wear.

And when it's BOGO time, I'm going to be buying those shoes I've had my eye on.  One of my current fave pair of Christian Siriano black pointed toe heels I bought during a BOGO sale for $10 and get a lot of compliments when I wear them.

Was saddened to hear that Payless filed yesterday for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and will be closing 400 stores immediately, with another 500 possible.

I have already lost one of my fave Payless locations in downtown Houston right on the METRORail Red Line at the Main Street Square Station when it closed in February.  I noticed that when I went to Louisville on vacation last summer, the downtown Payless on 4th Street I used to find shoes in up to size 13 when I lived there had closed.

So it will be interesting to note which Payless stores in Houston will be shuttered, and I hope they aren't the few locations where I can get my shoes in a 13.

Twinkie Maker Filing For Bankruptcy

Was sad to hear about another victim of the recession in terms of Hostess Brands, the makers of Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho-Ho's  and Wonder Bread.

Hostess Brands got its start in 1930 as Interstate Baking Company during the Depression.  It also includes the Butternut, Blue Seal and Nature's Own breads and the Dolly Madison snack cake brands in addition to it's iconic Hostess and Wonder Bread and unfortunately is filing for its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

Hostess and Wonder Bread were iconic parts of mine and many people's childhoods and it would be a shame if we lost this iconic brand. 

The company has been around since 1930 and moved its headquarters from Kansas City to Irving, TX after coming out of its first bankruptcy in 2009.

Definitely need to do my part and eat a few more Twinkies this year to save 19,000 jobs.