Gulf Coast mall owners grapple with bankrupt retailer Rue21 closing stores

Mall owners in Florida are again having to deal with more vacant space and the possibility leases are going to be broken as another retail staple enters bankruptcy and starts closing stores.

This time it is teen-fashion retailer Rue21 which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy late last week and said it was shutting down all 544 of its stores, including 30 in Florida.

That includes 10 in the region, with three in Tampa and one each in Brandon, Ellenton, Fort Myers, Lakeland, Port Charlotte, Port Richey and St. Petersburg.