Elder-Beerman department store operations were discontinued as a physical chain in 2018 after its parent company, Bon-Ton, went bankrupt and liquidated assets; its brand name and intellectual property were later acquired by BrandX, which relaunched the website but has not yet revived physical stores, leaving the original stores permanently closed and their descriptions largely historical, marking the end of a Midwest retail era.

History & Closure:

Origins: Elder-Beerman started as a Dayton dry goods store and grew into a significant Midwest retailer.

Bankruptcy: The brand operated under The Bon-Ton Stores Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018.

Liquidation: After failing to find a buyer for its store portfolio, Bon-Ton's assets were auctioned to liquidators, leading to the closure of all Elder-Beerman stores in August 2018.

Post-Closure:

Brand Acquisition: BrandX acquired the Elder-Beerman name and related IP in 2021, with plans to potentially reopen websites and physical stores.

Website Status: While the website was relaunched, it remained largely inactive as of early 2025, with no significant physical store revival.

Current Status: The physical Elder-Beerman stores are permanently closed, a significant loss for communities that relied on them as anchors in malls like Indian Mound Mall.