Linens 'n Things bankrupt

NEW YORK — A Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by Linens 'n Things is the latest sign that the retail sector is becoming leaner and meaner amid a difficult consumer environment.

On Friday, the bedding- and home-furnishing retailer filed a petition in bankruptcy court in Delaware and said it would close 120 underperforming stores, including one in Murray and one in Park City.

The Clifton, N.J.-based company said economic factors such as the decline in the housing market, tightening credit markets and a downturn in consumer discretionary spending, particularly in the housewares and home furnishings sector, led to a "precipitous decline" in profitability and liquidity.

The factors worsened in the first quarter of 2008, the company said.