"Remember Modell's? C'mon, it wasn't that long ago. If you are a Defector reader from the Northeast United States, you absolutely have some sort of weird attachment to this mediocre but very vigorously advertised sporting goods chain that went out of business in 2020. You remember! " Gotta go to Mo's!" You'd go there to get a hat after your team won the division, or to get socks. You remember! CEO Mitch Modell was on Undercover Boss. You remember!"
"Debtors later alleged the company paid millions to the Modell family while insolvent, and settled a lawsuit for $22.7 million last year. In the meantime, the brand was snapped up out of bankruptcy by a concern called Retail Ecommerce Ventures. REV had a novel idea, which they shared openly in a way that suggested they were proud of it. The plan was that they'd buy a bunch of brands that went bust, sometimes quietly, and then use those well-known brands to sell cheap crap online."
Modell's Sporting Goods was a modestly popular, heavily advertised Northeast chain that closed in 2020 after announcing 24 store closures and then full liquidation. CEO Mitch Modell gained public attention through stunts and an Undercover Boss appearance, and faced prior litigation with Dick's Sporting Goods. Debtors alleged the company paid millions to the Modell family while insolvent, producing a $22.7 million settlement. Retail Ecommerce Ventures acquired the Modell's brand from bankruptcy and pursued a strategy of buying defunct name-brand retailers to sell low-cost, branded merchandise online, adding numerous legacy retailers to its portfolio.
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