Apr 19, 2018 2 min read

All Bon-Ton stores, including the one at Washington Crown Center, will close by Aug. 31 at the latest, according to recently filed court documents.

Bon-Ton Stores Inc., which filed for bankruptcy in early February, has been bought by a group that plans to liquidate the company’s assets. A bankruptcy judge approved the sale Wednesday to a group composed of Bon-Ton debt holders and liquidation firms Great American Group and Tiger Capital Group.

The company, with headquarters in York and Milwaukee, can immediately initiate going-out-of business sales, which will run no later than Aug. 31.

Bon-Ton has 260 stores in 24 states, also including ones in Uniontown and Greensburg.

An employee of the Crown Center location, contacted by telephone Thursday, declined to comment.

This is the latest blow dealt to Crown Center, which also has lost Macy’s, Gander Mountain and Payless Shoe-Source in recent years. Rural King, which promotes itself as “America’s Farm and Home and Store,” began operating in the Gander Mountain space in early March and Toffee House took over the Payless space.

Macy’s has been sold at auction, but the identity of the buyer and other details are not known.

In a prepared statement on its website Wednesday, Bon-Ton said, “our stores, e-commerce and mobile platforms under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates will remain open and serving customers.”