Liquidation of At Ease Sought: Four creditors...

Liquidation of At Ease Sought: Four creditors have asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Santa Ana to liquidate At Ease, the Newport Beach-based retailer known for its expensive men’s clothing. In the involuntary bankruptcy petition filed this week, the creditors said they are owed more than $533,689 by At Ease. The action comes in the wake of At Ease closing stores in Santa Ana and Westwood. The company still operates stores in Newport Beach and Pasadena and is planning to open a new store in San Francisco in the next two weeks. At Ease likely will seek to convert the involuntary Chapter 7 filing to Chapter 11, which would provide it protection from creditors while it reorganizes, said the firm’ attorney, Bill Lobel of Lobel Winthrop & Broker in Irvine.