Sharper Image

About Sharper Image

The Sharper Image filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on February 19, 2008. The gadget and novelty retailer had 184 stores. The company had been losing money due to declining sales and a product safety lawsuit involving its Ionic Breeze air purifier. Consumer Reports found the air purifier ineffective and potentially harmful. Sharper Image sued Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, but lost. The company was further weakened by the 2008 recession. Sharper Image liquidated stores and sold its brand and intellectual property to a joint venture of Hilco Consumer Capital, Gordon Brothers, and Bluestar Alliance. The Sharper Image brand was licensed for various consumer electronics products and continues to appear in airport kiosks and online.