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Mall Linens 'n Things will fold with others by Monday, October 20th 2008 A A The coming Christmas season is the last for Linens 'n Things as it begins liquidation sales at 371 stores, including its Rogue Valley Mall location. Twenty-five employees locally will lose their jobs. The No. 2 home goods chain behind Bed Bath & Beyond failed to find a buyer after seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May. More than $1 billion in merchandise is being liquidated. Another store with a national footprint could be in danger as well. The Wall Street Journal today reported that electronics retailer Circuit City Stores Inc., which has a store at Medford Center, is considering shutting at least 150 stores to avoid filing for bankruptcy protection. Although the Medford Linens 'n Things was among the retailer's money-makers, that was of little consequence after no bidders came forth to rescue the company. "The good ones, bad ones and middle ones are all going away," said spokesman Rich Tauberman. The local store dodged the first round of closings in the spring, but there was no escaping this time. "We were fine up until a week ago," said store manager Susan Hager, who has been with the company for 10 years. "I have a fantastic group of associates and they are still doing their jobs. They're not out there pounding the pavement looking for anything, because it's not like we close tomorrow. At this point, it's still all kind of brand new and it's kind of rough." The store opened in May 2003 after a $1.4 million renovation of the mall's former movie theater location. "It means we'll have a 30,000-square foot opportunity," said Jeff Barber, Rogue Valley Mall manager. "We'll begin immediately trying to find a replacement." — Greg Stiles STAY CONNECTED Like Us Follow Us © 2019 Mail Tribune Privacy Terms News In Photos Loading ...