The 85-year-old vitamin and dietary supplement company has been saddled with
nearly $1 billion of debt and has faced declining sales at its brick-and-mortar locations since before the pandemic. However, GNC said that stay-at-home orders during the
Covid-19 pandemic prevented the company from accomplishing its refinancing plans because of the abrupt "dramatic negative impact" on its business.
GNC will continue operating, but it will become a smaller company. It plans to close up to 20% of its 5,800 retail stores, which amounts to as many as 1,200 locations across the United States. GNC also sells its products in an additional 1,200
Rite Aid (RAD) stores.