Gump’s Holdings LLC, owner of Bay Area retail landmark Gump’s, is looking for a lifeline in negotiations with its main lender, Sterling National Bank, such as more time to find additional financing or a buyer, Bloomberg News reported. Gump’s announced in May that it had hired an adviser to seek financing or other alternatives for the company, which dates back to 1861. An influx of wealthy gold prospectors helped shape the retailer’s evolution into a luxury seller of items like imported Chinese and Japanese porcelains, silks and jade. Besides its store in San Francisco’s Union Square shopping district, the company has a direct-to-consumer division, which includes a website and catalog, that makes up 75 percent of its revenue.
