West Marine files bankruptcy, closing Florida stores, here's where

• West Marine is closing 59 stores across 23 states after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
• The company cited supply chain issues, extreme weather, and shifts in consumer behavior as reasons for the filing.
• Eight of the stores slated for closure are located in Florida.

West Marine, the largest boating and marine supply chain in the U.S., is shuttering 59 stores across 23 states, including Florida, following a filing for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May.

"Like many in the boating community, West Marine has faced headwinds in recent years, including supply chain disruptions, extreme weather events, and shifts in consumer behavior," the company said in a May 17 release. "Today’s action addresses these challenges by strengthening the balance sheet, reducing debt levels, and improving financial flexibility."

According to court documents, West Marine, which sells a wide variety of boating, fishing, and marine supplies and apparel, has confirmed 59 locations will be closed. Florida will be the hardest hit with eight stores closing, including locations in Orlando and Jacksonville Beach. No dates were provided.

The Fort Lauderdale-based West Marine closed its only Tallahassee location in December 2024

Is West Marine closing?

"West Marine is open for business," the company said in the release. "Throughout this process, West Marine remains focused on delivering the top-quality marine products, service, and expertise that customers have come to expect."

Which West Marine stores are closing in Florida?

• Bonita Springs: 28520 Bonita Crossings Blvd. Suite 1
• Fernandina Beach: 474347 E State Road 200
• Jacksonville Beach: 14180 Beach Blvd. Suite 4
• Orlando: 7478 S Orange Blossom Trail, Suite A
• Palm Coast: 250 Palm Coast Pkwy NE Unit 507
• Port Charlotte: 4265 Tamiami Trail
• Venice: 1860 Tamiami Trail S
• Winter Haven: 1107 3rd Street SW, Suite 8

More locations are closing in Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, court records show.

What is West Marine?

West Marine started off with a guy selling rope from his garage in Sunnyvale, California, according to the company's history. Founder Randy Repass was frustrated with the boating supply experience and started serving customers by mail order himself in 1968. The first store, West Coast Ropes, opened in Palo Alto in 1975.

It grew from there. In 1977, the company bought part of the mail-order company West Products, rebranded as West Marine Products, and spent the next few years opening stores. The first Florida locations came in 1991.

In 1996, West Marine merged with E&B Marine, and in 2003, it bought the retail and catalog divisions of BoatU.S. The stores gradually added wider varieties of boating and marine products, including apparel, until it went big in Florida.

"West Marine opened the biggest boating store in the U.S. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2011," the company said.

The Fort Lauderdale store, the company's flagship, is more than 50,000 square feet of marine supplies. West Marine relocated its headquarters there in 2022.

How many West Marine locations are in Florida?

Including the eight closing, West Marine currently lists 54 locations in Florida, part of the chain's approximately 200 retail locations across 34 states and Puerto Rico. You can see the list at westmarine.com/view-all-stores.html

C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.

(This story was updated to add new information.)