Bankrupt jeweler asks to close 12 stores in state

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Bankrupt Friedman's Jewelers is asking to close 12 of its 20 stores in Oklahoma. <br/><br/>A federal bankruptcy court in Georgia will consider the request during a hearing on Tuesday.

Friday, February 18th 2005, 9:17 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Bankrupt Friedman's Jewelers is asking to close 12 of its 20 stores in Oklahoma.

A federal bankruptcy court in Georgia will consider the request during a hearing on Tuesday.

Friedman's is asking to close a total of 165 of its 643 stores. Those in Oklahoma are in Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Mustang, Shawnee, Sallisaw, Ada, Durant, Lawton, McAlester, Muskogee, Stillwater and Woodward.

Company spokeswoman Maya Pogoda says she doesn't know how many employees in Oklahoma would be affected by the closing, but says each store has about five or six workers.

Pogoda says the stores would stay open until all merchandise is sold.