Quick answer: The Children’s Place, Inc. and 13 affiliates filed Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey on November 8, 2026 (Case No. 26-22682 (SLM), Judge Stacey L. Meisel). The company plans to sell substantially all of its assets, with bids due December 9, 2026. Unpaid vendors should stop collection efforts on old invoices, separate pre-filing and post-filing amounts, identify goods the company received on or after October 19, 2026, send any reclamation demand no later than November 28, 2026, and file a proof of claim once the court sets a bar date.
What happened in The Children’s Place bankruptcy?
The Children’s Place, a Secaucus, New Jersey children’s apparel retailer that also owns the Gymboree brand, filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions on November 8, 2026. The parent company and 13 affiliates asked the court to administer their cases jointly under the lead case, In re The Children’s Place, Inc., Case No. 26-22682 (SLM), before Judge Stacey L. Meisel.
The company is not trying to reorganize around its existing balance sheet. It is running a sale under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, with bids due December 9, 2026 and a closing targeted for the end of December. Stores and the e-commerce site remain open for now, and the company has said it is seeking recognition of the U.S. case in Canada so its Canadian assets can be sold in the same process.
The company’s lead counsel is White & Case LLP, Cole Schotz P.C. is New Jersey local counsel, and Omni Agent Solutions is the claims and noticing agent. Omni has published a stakeholder hotline at (866) 205-3149, and its case website is where court notices, claim forms, and the claims register will be posted.
For vendors, the important point is speed. A sale case that targets a closing within about seven weeks of filing leaves little room to catch up. The decisions you make in November will largely determine what you recover.
Can The Children’s Place still pay my old invoices?
Generally, no. Invoices for goods and services delivered before November 8, 2026 became pre-petition claims the moment the company filed. The company cannot pay those claims without court authorization, and you cannot collect them. The automatic stay in Section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code bars collection calls, demand letters, lawsuits, setoffs, and holding shipments to force payment of an old balance.
The company’s first-day motions asked for authority to keep paying employees, keep customer programs running, and pay vendors for goods and services provided after the filing. If the court also approves a program to pay some pre-petition trade claims, that relief almost always comes with strings: the vendor must keep shipping on customary trade terms, and sometimes must give up other rights. Read any trade agreement the company sends you, preferably with counsel, before you sign it.
Should I keep shipping to The Children’s Place?
That is a business decision with legal consequences. Goods and services you provide after November 8, 2026 generally qualify as an administrative expense under Section 503(b)(1), which ranks ahead of ordinary unsecured claims.
Priority is not the same as payment. In a sale case, administrative claims get paid only if the estate has money left after the secured lenders are satisfied, and retail sale cases sometimes run out of money. Protect yourself by asking for cash in advance or short payment terms, invoicing post-petition shipments separately from old balances, and never letting a post-petition invoice age.
Do I have a 20-day administrative claim under Section 503(b)(9)?
If you sold goods, not services, and The Children’s Place received them within 20 days before the filing, the value of those goods is an administrative expense under Section 503(b)(9). For this case, that means goods received on or after October 19, 2026.
In the Third Circuit, which includes New Jersey, goods are “received” when the debtor or its agent takes physical possession, not when title passes or the goods leave your dock. Pull your delivery receipts, bills of lading, and warehouse receiving records now, because the arrival date controls.
Can I get my goods back?
Possibly, but the deadline is close. Under Section 546(c), a seller can demand reclamation of goods the debtor received while insolvent within 45 days before the filing, which here means goods received on or after September 24, 2026. The written demand must be made within 45 days after the debtor received the goods, and no later than 20 days after the filing. For this case, the outside date is November 28, 2026, which falls on a Saturday. Do not wait for it.
Reclamation rights are usually subordinate to the lenders’ liens on inventory, so a reclamation demand often ends up preserving an administrative claim rather than recovering goods. It is still inexpensive insurance. If goods are in transit right now, call counsel before you act, because stopping delivery raises separate issues under the Uniform Commercial Code and the automatic stay.
How do I file a proof of claim against The Children’s Place?
The court will set a claims bar date, and Omni will mail notice of it to known creditors. File your claim against the specific debtor entity that issued your purchase orders or received your services, since this case includes 14 debtors. Attach invoices, purchase orders, and an account statement.
Official Form 410 includes a separate question for 503(b)(9) amounts, so state that portion separately. Post-petition administrative claims are usually handled through a separate request or administrative bar date, not the general claim form.
Should I ask to serve on the creditors’ committee?
The Office of the United States Trustee usually forms an official committee of unsecured creditors within days or a couple of weeks after a large Chapter 11 filing. It typically draws from the debtors’ list of largest unsecured creditors. Committee members owe duties to all unsecured creditors and receive confidential information, but they also get a voice in the sale process and in what happens to preference claims. If you are a large creditor and want to be considered, act now.
Could I be sued later for payments I already received?
Yes. Payments you received between August 10, 2026 and November 8, 2026 could be targeted later as preferential transfers under Section 547. Preserve your records now, including payment history going back well before the 90-day window, because that history supports the ordinary course and new value defenses.
New Jersey bankruptcy attorneys for Children’s Place creditors
If you are looking for a New Jersey bankruptcy attorney to protect your company in The Children’s Place case, Kasen Law Group can help. Our firm represents trade creditors, landlords, and other creditors in large Chapter 11 cases and practices before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey from our Cherry Hill office. We prepare and file proofs of claim and 503(b)(9) requests, send reclamation demands, review trade and critical vendor agreements, object to cure amounts in the sale process, and defend vendors in later preference lawsuits.
If The Children’s Place owes your company money, call us at (888) 959-8220 or use the contact form on this page. The deadlines in this case are short, so the earlier we look at your account, the more options you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did The Children’s Place file for bankruptcy?
The Children’s Place, Inc. and 13 affiliates filed Chapter 11 on November 8, 2026 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. The lead case number is 26-22682.
Is The Children’s Place going out of business?
Not necessarily. The company is selling substantially all of its assets through a court-supervised process, with bids due December 9, 2026, and hopes to sell the business as a going concern. Stores and the website remained open as of the filing, but some store closures are expected.
Will vendors of The Children’s Place get paid?
Pre-petition invoices become claims in the bankruptcy and are paid, if at all, through the case. Goods received within 20 days before the filing may qualify for administrative priority under Section 503(b)(9), and goods or services provided after the filing generally qualify as administrative expenses.
What is the reclamation deadline in The Children’s Place bankruptcy?
A written reclamation demand for goods received on or after September 24, 2026 must be made no later than 20 days after the filing, which is November 28, 2026. Because that date is a Saturday, send the demand earlier.
Where do I file a proof of claim against The Children’s Place?
Claims are typically filed through the claims agent, Omni Agent Solutions, or with the bankruptcy court, under procedures set by the bar date order. File against the specific debtor entity you did business with.
About the Author
Jenny R. Kasen is the founding attorney of Kasen Law Group, P.C., a boutique bankruptcy firm with offices in Wilmington, Delaware and Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She represents creditors and debtors before the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Delaware, the District of New Jersey, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Southern District of Florida. Her practice includes creditor-side work in large Chapter 11 cases, preference and adversary proceeding defense, and Chapter 7, 11, 13, and Subchapter V cases.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about The Children’s Place, Inc. Chapter 11 case as it stood on November 9, 2026. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Court orders, deadlines, and the sale timeline can change quickly, so confirm current dates on the court docket or the claims agent’s case website, and speak with a lawyer about your specific situation. Attorney Advertising.