Circuit broken: a slide in consumer demand and lack of financing options brought the retailer down. Liquidation is thought likely to be the outcome more frequently than in past recessions

Over its 60-year history, Circuit City built itself into the second largest US electronics retailer and became a household name. But, like several other national store chains, it was crushed so badly last year by the consumer spending slump that it failed to make it to the holiday shopping season before filing for bankruptcy protection.