Don’t buy into rumor Claire’s store closed because of ‘radical left agitators’

A rumor that retail chain Claire’s posted a notice at one of its locations that it had closed because of threats of “domestic economic terrorism” by “radical left agitators” circulated online in early October 2025. 

The claim gained traction with a post on Reddit (archived), featuring a photograph of the alleged “store closure notice” taped to the closed gate of a defunct retail location in a shopping mall. The Reddit post had more than 57,000 upvotes as of this writing and spread to social media platforms like Instagram (archived), Bluesky (archived) and Facebook (archived). Snopes readers also emailed us to ask whether the rumor was true.

The full “store closure notice” depicted in the posts read: 

To Our Valued Customers,

This Claire’s location has been permanently closed. The decision reflects both external and internal restructuring. In recent months, repeated attacks of ridicule by radical left agitators have gone beyond mere criticism, escalating into a deliberate effort to destabilize our company – conduct we recognize as Domestic Economic Terrorism.

At the same time, our transition under new private equity ownership required difficult financial choices. Protecting the stability of shareholders was prioritized, & this store – along with its local workforce – was deemed expendable in service of that obligation.

Despite these challenges, Claire’s remains committed to our identity as a traditional American company rooted in values of family and community. We will not be silenced by those who attempt to undermine that mission, & we continue to move forward with confidence in our future.

Here at Claire’s, we look forward to working with the current administration to reinvigorate our brand presence across the United States, ensuring that we remain a part of American life for generations to come.

We invite you to continue supporting Claire’s by stopping at www.claires.com.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Claire’s Stores, Inc.

The rumor that Claire’s closed this location because of “domestic economic terrorism” was false. 

The alleged notice taped to the closed gate of a defunct Claire’s location was fake and seemed to be connected to an elaborate series of posts with satirical intent by a social media influencer in which they purport to have been fired from the retailer for posting content critical of the U.S. government. 

A spokesperson for Claire’s told Snopes the claims were “completely fraudulent.” Their emailed statement read:

The letter you referenced, along with the statements within it, is completely fraudulent. It was not authored or posted by Claire’s or anyone affiliated with the company, and it references actions, such as shopping the brand’s website, that have not been possible since store closures. 

Claire’s also has no record of the social media influencer you mentioned ever being employed by the company, and the statements he has made about the brand are unequivocally false. Claire’s is actively taking steps to address it and prevent the spread of misinformation.

Claire’s continues to be a welcoming and inclusive brand for all parents, kids and families, and that is where the company’s focus remains.

The teen retailer, which offers ear piercings, jewelry and other fashion accessories, has struggled in recent years along with the general decline of shopping malls. Claire’s filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and again in August 2025. In September 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported that a private holding company, Ames Watson, bought the chain and planned to revitalize it.

The spread of the store-closure rumor coincided with news about the retailer’s latest bankruptcy troubles and subsequent acquisition. 

The influencer first posted (archived) about Claire’s on Sept. 19, 2025 — the day after The Wall Street Journal announced the Ames Watson acquisition — with a video that included an alleged termination notice from Claire’s corporate office. The post appeared to be an attempt at “newsjacking,” in which a person or brand attempts to get publicity or clout by attaching themselves to a news story. 

The influencer followed the initial post with a series of videos alleging to depict phone calls from a Claire’s human resources representative and more purported letters. A video posted (archived) on Oct. 2, 2025, claimed a cease-and-desist letter had arrived, but the envelope appeared to be postmarked as presorted mail, written on Claire’s letterhead, featured spelling errors and was unsigned. Had the letter been official, it likely would have been delivered via certified mail on a law firm’s letterhead and most certainly would have been proofread.

According to the influencer’s LinkedIn profile, they claim to have been employed at a Claire’s location in Saratoga Springs, New York, which operated from the Wilton Mall. 

According to the August 2025 bankruptcy filing, that location was not listed among the locations to be closed. However, we contacted the Wilton Mall via telephone and confirmed the location had closed as of September 2025. 

Further, a user in the Saratoga sub-Reddit matched the photo from the claim to the location at the Wilton Mall. Analyzing the two photos side by side, it’s apparent they are photos of the same location.

The same influencer has a history of posting “suspicious letters” received in the mail, including one purportedly from the NYPD about being added to a gang database that was addressed to the user’s Instagram handle.

Snopes reached out to the influencer to confirm satirical intent, but they did not respond to Snopes’ request for comment as of this writing. We also reached out to Ames Watson for comment and will update this article if we hear back.