Chad Ochocinco Johnson is heartbroken that Claire’s is filing for bankruptcy.
The former NFL wide receiver reacted to news about the beloved tween jewelry retailer on his X account with a single heartbroken emoji.
The news seemingly hit hard for Johnson, who famously praised the store during his 2023 interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay.
“Never bought real anything when I was playing, never. What was the point? I went to Claire's,” he said in 2023.
In that same interview, Ochocinco expanded on his minimalist financial philosophy by explaining how he avoided overspending throughout his career.
“I ain’t flying private. Spirit, put me on Spirit, exit row, window seat. That’s all I need,” he explained.
“There’s nothing I can buy that’s bigger than my name alone, so it made no sense,” he said further into the episode. “Everybody's caught up in [their] image and looking a certain way and being rich: it's me, it's pointless.”
He concluded, “The more [money] you get, the more you're gonna spend and people ain't gonna listen because we are caught up in looking a certain way, living a certain way, trying to appease others who don't really care nothing about you, just to say, ‘Oh, I got it.’”
Meanwhile, Claire’s announced through a press release on Wednesday that it had entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S., with its Canadian operations preparing a similar move. The company cited mounting debt, increased competition, consumer shifts away from brick-and-mortar retail, and macroeconomic pressure.
"This decision is difficult, but a necessary one,” said CEO Chris Cramer in the press release. "We remain in active discussions with potential strategic and financial partners and are committed to completing our review of strategic alternatives."
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