There were a flurry of reports last week that Steve & Barry's is close to filing for bankruptcy and/or closing 100 of its 275 stores.Few retailers have garnered more publicity over the last couple of years than the chain, which sells mostly sports apparel at prices less than $10. Steve & Barry's is also known for taking up major vacant spaces in malls across the country and signing deals with celebrities like New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury and actress Sarah Jessica Parker.We find some irony in that a chain which offers major discounts is struggling in today's economic climate when consumers are looking for those kinds of deals. But we've also spoken to many in the industry who have said things like: "Well, how many $5 T-shirts can they possibly sell to fund this growth?"Are we dealing with a good concept that simply expanded too quickly, or do you think the idea was flawed from the get go?
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