Avenue Stores

Avenue's 2019 liquidation closed all 222 stores of the plus-size women's retailer. The company had been through bankruptcy before (2012); this second filing resulted in complete shutdown. Plus-size fashion moved online where selection was broader and stigma reduced. Avenue's mall-based stores couldn't compete with online pure plays or big-box retailers adding extended sizes. Avenue demonstrated that specialty sizing doesn't create a moat when larger competitors can match it.