The parent company of Sports Chalet is closing its 47 stores, including five in Arizona, over the next few weeks.

The Vestis Retail Group LLC of Meriden, Conn., announced April 18 that it will file for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize the company. 

Vestis plans to close nine of its other stores, operating as Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob’s Stores, and evaluate closing other locations for those two brands. 

Vestis also intends to sell the remaining company to Versa Capital Management LLC.

Mark Walsh, Vestis CEO, said Sports Chalet has been burdened by unique competitive pressures.

“After reviewing a variety of strategic alternatives, we determined that the best path forward is to separate the businesses and confront the challenges that have been hindering our overall progress,” Walsh said.

As part of the planned transition, Sport Chalet began store-closing sales April 16 at all of its locations.

The company’s online retail sales ceased April 16.

Sports Chalet said it will honor gift cards and rewards certificates through April 29.

Sports Chalet, which started in 1959, has 1,200 full-time and 1,600 parti-time employees, according to the Los Angeles Times. Forty of its stores are in California.

The agreement with Versa to buy Vestis, subject to court approval, seeks to position EMS and Bob’s to maximize future opportunities.

At the completion of the process, Vestis said the combination of EMS and Bob’s will have a renewed focus on the successful operations in the East where it will continue to operate a $400 million multi-channel retailer.