Stein Mart Inc. was desperate for shoppers long before COVID-19 forced closures at its discount department stores, scattered mostly throughout the Southeast.
During the past several years, the Florida retailer had hemorrhaged tens of millions of dollars, while searching for a corporate buyer. Like many struggling businesses, the company in June turned to the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, as a possible savior. The $10-million loan didn’t last long.
Within two months, Stein Mart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing more than $500 million in liabilities. The company closed all 280 stores and 9,000 workers lost their jobs.
Nothing prevented Stein Mart from taking the PPP