Retail Roundup: 2 Rockport stores close in parent's bankruptcy filing

Another American shoe company closing stores in bankruptcy has shuttered its Long Island locations, as traffic at brick-and-mortar footwear shops declines.

Two Rockport shoe stores on Long Island — in Riverhead and Garden City — were among 60 in North America being closed by Tuesday as part of the bankruptcy process for the company, which is being sold, according to a company statement this month.

The store at Tanger Outlets Riverhead closed Friday and the one at Roosevelt Field mall closed July 23, store employees said last week.

A Rockport at Tanger Outlets Deer Park closed in early May.

The Rockport Group LLC, founded in 1971 and based in Newton, Massachusetts, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May.  This month, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved Boston-based private equity firm Charlesbank Capital Partners LLC to buy Rockport’s assets, including the wholesale and e-commerce operations and Asian and European operations and stores, for $150 million, according to a court filing.  

The stores in the United States and Canada are not part of the sale.

Rockport shoes still will be sold in the U.S. online and at department and general shoe stores, such as Macy's and DSW.

Retail Roundup is a column about major retail news on Long Island — store openings, closings, expansions, acquisitions, etc. — that is published online and in the Monday paper. To read more of these columns, click here. If you have news to share, please send an email to Newsday reporter Tory N. Parrish at tory.parrish@newsday.com.