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Laura Peters
Staunton News Leader
Published 9:17 AM EDT May 18, 2020
STAUNTON – The Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce will be holding a virtual job fair and Gordmans parent company files bankruptcy — here’s the buzz.
Job fair
Due to COVID-19, the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce will be holding a virtual job fair May 28.
The chamber of commerce is teaming up with Virginia Career Works, Harrisonburg Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, Shenandoah Valley SHRM, VA Job Connections and Dr. Dave Leadership Corp. to host the event via Zoom.
According to the chamber, employers are still looking for skilled workers. The virtual job fair will give employers the ability to discuss their needs with potential employees without leaving their office, the release said. Job seekers will be able to hear from several employers all in one afternoon without leaving their home.
“GARCC is excited to be part of this Virtual Job Fair. We’re pleased that many of our area businesses are still hiring and this will be a great way to connect them with job seekers,” Courtney Thompson, chamber president and CEO, said in a release.
There will be two afternoon sessions beginning at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Employers are required to attend both sessions. This event is free to job seekers and has a minimal charge for employers.
Those who want to register should visit augustava.com under events for more information.
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Gordmans
Stage Stores filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week. Stores under the Stage Stores umbrella will be liquidated and closed unless a buyer is found. This includes the newly opened Waynesboro store Gordmans.
Stage operates Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Gordmans and Peebles department stores. It was announced last year that Stage stores and those under Stage were being converted to Gordmans stores. Originally, approximately 700 small-market Gordmans off-price stores would be open by the third quarter of fiscal 2020.
The various Stage Stores were temporarily closed due to COVID-19. About 557 stores are expected to reopen on May 15, 67 additional stores are expected to open by May 28 and the remaining stores will open by June 4, according to a release from MarketWatch. Liquidation will begin when stores reopen, including the Waynesboro store.
The company had 738 stores as of a March 27 business update.
“The increasingly challenging market environment was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which required us to temporarily close all of our stores and furlough the vast majority of our associates,” said Chief Executive Michael Glazer in a statement. “Given these conditions, we have been unable to obtain necessary financing and have no choice but to take these actions.”
The company expects to honor gift cards and returns for the first 30 days after a store reopens.
The Gordman’s store in Waynesboro opened at the beginning of March, rebranding the former Peebles store, which closed Feb. 22. The 28,000 square foot store was refinished with the signature Gordmans purple color and other small upgrades. The store sells a variety of items that are 40 to 60% less than regular department store prices.
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You can reach reporter Laura Peters at lpeters@newsleader.com. Follow her @peterslaura.
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