The retailer has secured a commitment for $160 million in debtor-in-possession financing from Crystal Financial LLC. Combined with operating cash flow, the DIP financing will allow Aéropostale to meet its go-forward financial commitments, the company says. It's being advised during the restructuring by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Stifel Financial Corp. and FTI Consulting.

NEW YORK CITY—Aéropostale Inc. said Wednesday that it had filed for Chapter 11 protection at US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, with the expectation of emerging from bankruptcy within six months. As part of its restructuring, the retailer will close 154 of its 700-plus stores in North America, including all 41 of its Canadian locations.

A list of US stores slated for closure will be posted to www.ARORestructuring.com after 5 p.m. on Wednesday. However, Fortune.com has already posted a list, taken from court documents; it includes two stores in New York City, where Aéropostale is headquartered.

Store closing sales are scheduled to begin this weekend for the US locations and May 9 for the stores in Canada. The company has closed 215 stores since 2013, Bloomberg Business reported Wednesday.

The latest in a series of recent travails faced by brick-and-mortar retailers catering to teens, the Aéropostale bankruptcy filing follows the company's delisting from the New York Stock Exchange two weeks ago. “While initiatives such as the implementation of our two-chain Factory and Mall strategy and our merchandise repositioning have started to gain traction, the ripple effects of an ongoing dispute with our second-largest supplier put substantial strain on our liquidity while also preventing us from realizing the full benefits of our turnaround plans,” says CEO Julian Geiger. “As a result, we have chosen to take more decisive and aggressive action to create a leaner, more efficient business that is well-positioned to compete and succeed in today's retail environment.”

The retailer has secured a commitment for $160 million in debtor-in-possession financing from Crystal Financial LLC. Combined with operating cash flow, the DIP financing will allow Aéropostale to meet its go-forward financial commitments, the company says. It's being advised during the restructuring by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Stifel Financial Corp. and FTI Consulting.