We shopped at Avenue the day after it announced it would close its remaining 222 stores and saw why the plus-size chain has been struggling

Bethany Biron/Business Insider

Avenue is closing all of its remaining stores.

• Avenue announced on Wednesday that it will shutter all 222 of its remaining stores in 33 states amid slumping sales and low foot traffic.
• Locations of the plus-size women's apparel chain join a list of more than 8,000 store closures that have been announced so far in 2019.
• We visited the Avenue store at Atlantic Terminal Mall in Brooklyn, New York, where extensive store-wide sales were already underway.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Avenue is joining the ever-growing list of retailers that are closing their doors for good.

The plus-size women's retailer announced on Wednesday that it will shutter its remaining 222 stores across 33 states. The demise of Avenue had been hinted at earlier this month, when The New York Post reported that owner Versa Capital would call it quits unless it found a buyer in 60 days. At the time, employees were notified in a staff meeting and told they would not receive severance if Avenue went under, according to the Post.

Read more: Plus-size clothing chain Avenue is closing all 222 locations. Here's the full list.

All items - including apparel, accessories, and footwear, as well as store fixtures - will be available for 30-50% off as the company begins the process of liquidating its inventory.

"Given the popularity of the brand and the seasonal trends, merchandise is sure to sell out quickly. We are encouraging consumers to shop early and take advantage of these offers," Avenue wrote in a press release.

Avenue is facing the same uphill battle as many of its retail peers, which are trying to stay afloat amid waning sales and consumer demand shifting toward e-commerce and direct-to-consumer brands. Additionally, Avenue has faced increased competition from the rise of trendy plus-size competitors like Eloquii, as well as from mainstays like Torrid.

We visited the Avenue store at the Atlantic Terminal Mall in Brooklyn, New York - one of the few remaining locations in the greater New York City area - and saw why it's struggling.