
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 15, 1994                   TAG: 9411160001
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: C-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GERMAN RETAILER TO BUY HOFHEIMERS

Hofheimers Inc., a Chesapeake shoe-store chain operating in the Roanoke and New River valleys, is negotiating with a German company to take over its ailing operations.

The purchase by Gabor International for an undisclosed price should be completed by Dec. 31. Under the deal, signed last week, Hofheimers stores would retain their name and be run by Gabor's U.S. retailing subsidiary, the Prague's Shoes Inc. chain, based in Glastonbury, Conn.

Company officials said all of the chain's employees will be retained, except 30 at the headquarters and warehouse in Chesapeake.

Hofheimers looked for a new owner to avoid having to file for bankruptcy or close. Last month, the company said cash-flow problems had forced cutbacks in the hours of its 500 workers.

Hofheimers has 65 stores under various names in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. Prague's has 33 stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.

- Associated Press

by CNB