Photo by Bob B Brown, courtesy of Flickr Commons.

by Adel Manoukian

Designer duds retailer Daffy’s is closing all of its 12 NYC locations in the upcoming months.

Spokesperson Michael McMullan released the news earlier this week to the Associated Press that the 51-year old chain has been going through much financial turmoil, having competition from similar chains, like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Other similar businesses, like Syms and Filene’s Basement have also gone out of business recently due to better deals from other fashion stores as well as the frail economy.

Daffy’s, a Secaucus, New Jersey-based retailer, has 19 stores in total-one in Philadelphia, eight in Manhattan, and six in New Jersey. It offers customers national fashion brands at up to 80% off the original cost. But now that these national brands are opening up their own outlets, they leave outside-retailers with little opportunity to buy last season’s clothing to sell at a discounted rate.

The chain, whose ads have recently sprouted on trains, will ensure that its 1,300 employees, located around New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia, will receive their paychecks and benefits for at least 60 more days.

The exact date of final liquidation is unknown.

Other encouraging signs? The campaign paid for a spread, including a kosher food station, and there was an open bar.

At 9:15 pm, the place was already three-quarters full and former City Comptroller Bill Thompson was gently working the room alongside Yetta Kurland, who’s considering a bid for Christine Quinn’s council seat in Chelsea.

Jeffries’ tireless spokeswoman, Lupe Todd, made a brief announcement that the campaign crunched early numbers and found that Jeffries was ahead 70 percent to Charles Barron’s 30 percent (unofficial Associated Press numbers as of 12:30 a.m. showed Jeffries up 72-28).

“The bar is open!” said Todd.

The room began an ecstatic hum and Thompson gave interviews.

“The early numbers are just that— but this is a good sign,” Thompson said understatedly. “I think that Hakeem will win by a larger margin that people think and I think Nydia will win.”

Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny and Councilman Al Vann staked out positions near the buffet table.

“I’ve never seen such great numbers,” said Brook-Krasny, who shepherded Jeffries’s winning efforts in Coney Island and Seagate.

I asked Vann whether Rep. Ed Towns made a mistake by endorsing Barron.

“I don’t know what was in his head and why he did it, but I did not think it would make any difference in the race for Hakeem,” he said.

The numbers kept getting better and it seemed like everyone in Brooklyn turned out to celebrate Hakeem’s developing victory. Even former county leader Clarence Norman, fresh off his release from prison, showed up to “congratulate the future congressman.”

“I’m a businessman now,” he said, declining further comment, in the night’s oddest celebrity showing.

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