The country's largest retailer of plus-size women's apparel, Charming Shoppes, Inc (Nasdaq: CHRS) is closing 150 underperforming stores, laying off 150 employees (13% of its management staff), and reducing the amount of stores it will open in fiscal 2009. The closures will leave Charming Shoppes with approximately 900 Fashion Bug stores, 923 Lane Bryant stores and 471 Catherine's stores.