Christopher & Banks
Christopher & Banks is an American women's apparel retailer serving primarily women aged 40 to 60 through e-commerce and a small number of physical stores.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Christopher & Banks is an American women's clothing retail brand with roots in Minnesota. The business began in 1956 under the name Brauns Fashions and developed a specialty in apparel for mature female customers, particularly women commonly described as being in the 40-to-60 age range. Its historical retail model centered on shopping-mall and neighborhood-store locations offering coordinated casual, career, seasonal, and occasion clothing, together with accessories and size-inclusive merchandise. The company became publicly traded in 1992 and adopted the Christopher & Banks name in 2000. During the same period it broadened its retail architecture by creating CJ Banks, a concept focused on plus-size women's apparel. It also acquired Acorn Stores in 2004, briefly operating that business as another retail concept before closing all 36 Acorn locations by the end of 2008. Beginning in 2014, Christopher & Banks began folding the plus-size assortment into its primary stores and phasing out stand-alone CJ Banks locations. Where stores were adjacent, the company sometimes combined them into larger locations. The retailer faced increasing financial and competitive pressure as consumer shopping habits shifted toward e-commerce and department-store and mall traffic weakened. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified those problems. In January 2021, Christopher & Banks filed for bankruptcy and announced the closure of its store fleet. The bankruptcy process resulted in the sale of the brand's assets and intellectual property to iMedia Brands, a Minnesota-based media and commerce company. The brand was subsequently relaunched with an online presence and a limited physical-store footprint rather than the much larger chain it had operated before bankruptcy. The second ownership phase was also affected by financial distress at the parent level. iMedia Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2023. In August 2023, Christopher & Banks was included in a transaction in which assets of iMedia Brands were sold for $55 million to IV Media, a subsidiary of Innovation Ventures, LLC. The amount relates to the broader asset sale and should not be treated as a separately disclosed valuation of Christopher & Banks alone. As of September 30, 2024, the brand operated online and through seven reported brick-and-mortar locations in Ankeny, Iowa; Birch Run, Michigan; Branson, Missouri; Coon Rapids, Minnesota; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Omaha, Nebraska; and Wichita, Kansas. Its current identity therefore combines the legacy of a regional women's specialty chain with a substantially smaller post-bankruptcy retail operation. Available reference material does not identify a current chief executive, a separate publicly traded listing, or a confirmed official web address.
History
Christopher & Banks traces its origin to Brauns Fashions, founded in Minneapolis in 1956. The company built a regional women's specialty-retail business and eventually became associated with clothing designed for mature women, especially customers in the 40-to-60 age range. Its historical format relied heavily on physical stores, including locations in shopping centers and malls, supported by merchandise organized around complete wardrobes rather than a single narrow product category. The business became a public company in 1992. In 2000, it adopted the Christopher & Banks name, giving the chain a more distinct consumer-facing identity. The company subsequently developed CJ Banks as a second retail concept aimed at plus-size women's clothing. This expansion allowed the group to address a broader range of body sizes while maintaining its focus on women's apparel. In November 2004, Christopher & Banks acquired Acorn Stores and operated Acorn as a separate retail concept. The experiment was short-lived: after announcing its intention to exit the business in July 2008, the company closed all 36 Acorn stores by the end of that year. The company also revised its financial presentation in 2005, restating certain historical and interim income statements to classify construction-allowance amortization as a reduction of rent expense rather than depreciation expense. This was an accounting presentation change rather than a reported change to the brand's retail proposition. Christopher & Banks later changed how it handled its plus-size business. Starting in 2014, the company began phasing out stand-alone CJ Banks stores and moving the plus-size assortment into Christopher & Banks locations. Adjacent stores were sometimes merged into larger units. This approach reduced the separation between the two concepts and made the main brand the principal vehicle for serving both standard and plus-size customers. The company eventually encountered the broader pressures affecting specialty apparel retail: declining mall traffic, changing consumer purchasing patterns, intense competition, and the transition toward digital commerce. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation by disrupting store operations and reducing in-person shopping. In January 2021, Christopher & Banks filed for bankruptcy and announced that it would close its stores. Most former locations were subsequently taken over by other retailers, including Daily Thread in many cases. After the bankruptcy, iMedia Brands acquired the Christopher & Banks assets and intellectual property and relaunched the name. The post-bankruptcy operation was materially smaller, combining online retail with a limited group of physical stores. That ownership period was interrupted by iMedia Brands' own Chapter 11 filing on June 28, 2023. On August 16, 2023, Christopher & Banks was included in the sale of iMedia Brands assets for $55 million to IV Media, a subsidiary of Innovation Ventures, LLC. The cited material does not provide a standalone allocation of that price to Christopher & Banks. By September 30, 2024, Christopher & Banks was reported to be operating online and from seven physical locations: Ankeny, Iowa; Birch Run, Michigan; Branson, Missouri; Coon Rapids, Minnesota; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Omaha, Nebraska; and Wichita, Kansas. The brand therefore remains active, but its current footprint is substantially smaller than the pre-2021 chain. Publicly available material supplied for this dossier does not identify current executives, a current stock listing, or a verified official website URL.
- 2024
Seven-store physical footprint reported
[1]The relaunched brand was reported to operate seven brick-and-mortar locations alongside its online business.
- 2023
iMedia Brands enters Chapter 11
[1]The brand's then-parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
- 2023
Christopher & Banks included in IV Media acquisition
[1]The brand was included in the sale of iMedia Brands assets to IV Media for $55 million.
- 2021
Bankruptcy and closure of store fleet
[1]Christopher & Banks filed for bankruptcy amid pandemic-related financial losses and announced the closure of its stores.
- 2021
Brand acquired and relaunched by iMedia Brands
[1]iMedia Brands acquired the brand's assets and intellectual property and relaunched Christopher & Banks through online retail and a smaller store base.
- 2014
Plus-size business integrated into Christopher & Banks
[1]The company began phasing out CJ Banks stores and incorporating plus-size merchandise into Christopher & Banks stores.
- 2008
Acorn Stores locations closed
[1]All 36 Acorn stores were closed after the company decided to exit that retail concept.
- 2004
Acorn Stores acquired
[1]Christopher & Banks acquired Acorn Stores and operated it as a separate retail concept.
- 2000
Brauns Fashions rebranded as Christopher & Banks
[1]The retail chain adopted the Christopher & Banks name for its principal women's apparel business.
- 2000
CJ Banks launched
[1]The company introduced CJ Banks as a plus-size women's clothing concept.
Products and positioning
A value-oriented American women's apparel retailer focused historically on fit, coordinated wardrobes, and accessible fashion for women aged approximately 40 to 60, with additional emphasis on plus-size merchandise.
Women's clothing · 1956
Christopher & Banks women's apparel
The core assortment consists of women's apparel designed around accessible, coordinated wardrobes. Historically, the range included casual, career, seasonal, and occasion-oriented garments for the brand's principal mature-women customer base. The retailer's store format emphasized the ability to assemble outfits across categories rather than purchase only a single hero product.
Plus-size women's clothing · 2000
CJ Banks
CJ Banks was created as a dedicated plus-size women's apparel concept. It operated through separate stores for a period, but Christopher & Banks began phasing out that format in 2014 and moving the plus-size assortment into its primary stores. CJ Banks is therefore best understood as a historical retail concept and brand extension rather than the principal current store identity.
Women's fashion accessories
Accessories
Accessories formed part of the broader wardrobe-oriented retail offer, complementing the apparel assortment and supporting complete-outfit purchases. The supplied reference material does not specify a complete current accessories range or individual product families.
Brand decisions
2023
Transfer of brand in iMedia Brands asset saleM&ABackground
iMedia Brands filed for Chapter 11 protection on June 28, 2023, placing its portfolio of businesses and assets into a restructuring process.
Action taken
On August 16, 2023, Christopher & Banks was included in the assets sold for $55 million to IV Media, a subsidiary of Innovation Ventures, LLC.
Aftermath
The brand moved into the ownership structure associated with IV Media and Innovation Ventures. The available source does not disclose how much of the transaction price was attributable specifically to Christopher & Banks.
Purchase price for the broader iMedia Brands asset sale including Christopher & Banks. $55 million transaction value (August 16, 2023)
2021
Bankruptcy filing and store closuresOtherBackground
The retailer reported financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic amid broader pressure on physical apparel retail.
Action taken
Christopher & Banks filed for bankruptcy and announced the closure of all of its stores.
Aftermath
The former store fleet was shut down, assets and intellectual property were acquired by iMedia Brands, and the brand later returned with online retail and a much smaller physical presence.
2021
Sale of assets and intellectual property to iMedia BrandsM&ABackground
The brand entered a post-bankruptcy ownership transition after the closure of its historical store network.
Action taken
iMedia Brands acquired Christopher & Banks' assets and intellectual property and relaunched the brand.
Aftermath
Christopher & Banks resumed operations through e-commerce and a limited number of physical stores.
2014
Integration of CJ Banks plus-size merchandiseStrategyBackground
The company maintained separate CJ Banks stores for its plus-size business while operating Christopher & Banks as its main women's apparel chain.
Action taken
It began phasing out CJ Banks stores and combining plus-size lines with Christopher & Banks stores, including merging adjacent locations where appropriate.
Aftermath
The main Christopher & Banks brand became the principal store platform for both standard and plus-size women's apparel.
2008
Exit from Acorn StoresStrategyBackground
Christopher & Banks had operated Acorn Stores as a separate retail concept after acquiring the chain in 2004.
Action taken
The company announced its intention to leave the Acorn business and closed all 36 Acorn locations by the end of 2008.
Aftermath
Acorn ceased to be part of the company's operating retail portfolio.
Recent events
- 2024
Christopher & Banks operates seven reported physical locations[1]
Other
By September 30, 2024, the relaunched brand was reported to operate online and from seven stores in Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, and Kansas.
- 2023
iMedia Brands files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
Christopher & Banks' parent company, iMedia Brands, filed for Chapter 11 protection on June 28, 2023, creating a second bankruptcy-related restructuring context for the brand within two years.
- 2023
Christopher & Banks included in $55 million IV Media asset sale[1]
M&A
On August 16, 2023, Christopher & Banks was included among iMedia Brands assets sold for $55 million to IV Media, a subsidiary of Innovation Ventures, LLC. The available reference does not allocate the transaction price to the individual brand.
- 2021
Christopher & Banks files for bankruptcy and plans store closures[1]
Bankruptcy
The women's apparel retailer entered bankruptcy protection in January 2021 after financial losses were intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. It announced the closure of its stores, ending the chain's previous large-scale physical retail presence.
- 2021
Christopher & Banks assets acquired by iMedia Brands[1]
M&A
Following the bankruptcy process, iMedia Brands acquired Christopher & Banks' assets and intellectual property and later relaunched the brand through online retail and a limited number of stores.
Sources3 sources
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