Five potential buyers have sent letters expressing interest in all or part of Barneys New York Inc. as the bankrupt luxury retailer tries to sell assets and avoid liquidation, Bloomberg News reported. Two of the would-be suitors would want all of the assets, while others are interested in just parts of Barneys. At least one potential bidder is an investment firm with previous holdings in the retail industry. Other parties have also indicated they will bid in the bankruptcy auction later this month, but didn’t want to submit letters that could become public before then. They didn’t identify the bidders. The upscale clothing retailer filed for chapter 11 last month with plans to shutter most of its stores after getting squeezed by rising rents and fewer visitors. Its management seeks to sell a slimmed-down business and negotiate with its landlords through the court process. The company said when it filed that it had secured $218 million in financing and will continue to operate until it finds a buyer.
