Nature of Operations	9 Months Ended
Nov. 02, 2019
Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]
Nature of Operations [Text Block]	Note 1. Nature of Operations Trans World Entertainment Corporation and subsidiaries (“the Company”) operates in two reportable segments: fye and etailz. The fye segment operates a chain of retail entertainment stores and e-commerce sites, www.fye.com and www.secondspin.com. As of November 2, 2019, the fye segment operated 206 stores totaling approximately 1.1 million square feet in the United States, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The etailz segment is a digital marketplace retailer and generates substantially all of its revenue through Amazon Marketplace. The Company’s business is seasonal in nature for both segments, with the peak selling period being the holiday season which falls in the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter. *Liquidity and Cash Flows Considerations:* The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 were prepared on the basis of a going concern which contemplates that the Company will be able to realize assets and satisfy liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The ability of the Company to meet its liabilities and to continue as a going concern is dependent on improved profitability, the continued implementation of the performance improvement plan for the etailz segment, the availability of future funding and the completion of other strategic alternatives. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties. The Company incurred net losses of $39.1 million and $31.7 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 and November 3, 2018, respectively, and has an accumulated deficit of $89.3 million at November 2, 2019. In addition, net cash used in operating activities for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 was $30.8 million. Net cash used in operating activities for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018 was $53.3 million. The Company also experienced negative cash flows from operations during fiscal 2018 and 2017, and expects to incur net losses in the foreseeable future. Based on its recurring losses from operations, expectation of continuing operating losses for the foreseeable future, and uncertainty with respect to any available future funding, as well as the completion of other strategic alternatives, the Company has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date of filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Management has plans to address the Company’s current liquidity position. As disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed May 14, 2019, the Company implemented strategic initiatives on December 11, 2018, aimed at improving organizational efficiencies and conserving working capital needed to support the growth of the etailz segment (the “performance improvement plan”). As a result of the initiative, and inventory management in the fye segment, the Company was able to reduce cash used in operations by $22.5 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 as compared to the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2018. We anticipate continued improvement in cash flows used in operations for the remainder of fiscal 2019. In addition, the Company continues to evaluate other strategic initiatives including establishing a credit facility at the etailz segment which could provide additional liquidity. At November 2, 2019, we had cash and cash equivalents of $3.1 million, net working capital of $35.4 million, short-term borrowings in the amount of $27.8 million on our revolving credit facility and $11.0 million of availability on our revolving credit facility. This compares to $4.5 million in cash and cash equivalents, net working capital of $70.0 million, short-term borrowings in the amount of $27.4 million on the Company’s revolving credit facility at November 3, 2018, and $22.1 million of availability on our revolving credit facility. The Company’s primary sources of liquidity are its borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility, available cash and cash equivalents, and to a lesser extent, cash generated from operations. Our cash requirements relate primarily to working capital needed to operate our business, including funding operating expenses, the purchase of inventory and capital expenditures. Our ability to achieve profitability and meet future liquidity needs and capital requirements will depend upon numerous factors, including the timing and amount of our revenue; the timing and amount of our operating expenses; the timing and costs of working capital needs; and in the implementation of our strategy and planned activities. In addition to the aforementioned current sources of existing working capital, the Company is continuing its efforts to generate additional sales and increase margins. There can be no assurance that any of the initiatives or strategic alternatives described above will be implemented, successful or consummated. *Reverse Stock Split:* On August 15, 2019, the Company effected a reverse stock split of its outstanding shares of common stock at a ratio of one-for-twenty pursuant to a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York. The reverse stock split was reflected on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) beginning with the opening of trading on August 15, 2019. The primary purpose of the reverse stock split, which was approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s Annual Stockholders Meeting on June 27, 2019, was to enable the Company to regain compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on Nasdaq. Pursuant to the reverse stock split, every twenty shares of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock were automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of common stock, without any change in the par value per share of the common stock. Unless otherwise indicated, all share and per share amounts of the common stock included in the accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted to give effect to the reverse stock split for all periods presented, including reclassifying an amount equal to the reduction in par value to additional paid-in capital. Amounts of common stock resulting from the reverse stock split were rounded up to the nearest whole share. The reverse stock split affected all issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, and the respective numbers of shares of common stock underlying outstanding stock options, and the Company’s equity incentive plans were proportionately adjusted. *Asset Impairment Charges:* During the thirty nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, the Company concluded, based on continued operating losses within the fye segment driven by lower than expected third quarter sales that triggering events had occurred, and an evaluation of the fye long-lived assets for impairment was required. Fixed assets and operating lease right-of-use assets, primarily at the Company’s retail store locations, as well as certain fixed assets at the corporate location, consisting of the home office and the Albany distribution center, where impairment was determined to exist were written down to their estimated fair values as of the end of November 2, 2019, resulting in the recording of fixed assets and operating lease right-of-use assets impairment charges of $2.4 million and $13.6 million, respectively. Estimated fair values for long-lived assets at these locations, including operating lease right of use assets, store fixtures, equipment, and leasehold improvements were determined based on a measure of discounted future cash flows over the remaining lease terms at the respective locations. Future cash flows were estimated based on individual store and corporate level plans and were discounted at a rate approximating the Company’s cost of capital. Management believes its assumptions were reasonable and consistently applied.

Nature of Operations

9 Months Ended

Nov. 02, 2019

Note 1. Nature of Operations

Trans World Entertainment Corporation and subsidiaries (“the Company”) operates in two reportable segments: fye and etailz. The fye segment operates a chain of retail entertainment stores and e-commerce sites, www.fye.com and www.secondspin.com. As of November 2, 2019, the fye segment operated 206 stores totaling approximately 1.1 million square feet in the United States, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The etailz segment is a digital marketplace retailer and generates substantially all of its revenue through Amazon Marketplace. The Company’s business is seasonal in nature for both segments, with the peak selling period being the holiday season which falls in the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter.

Liquidity and Cash Flows Considerations:

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 were prepared on the basis of a going concern which contemplates that the Company will be able to realize assets and satisfy liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The ability of the Company to meet its liabilities and to continue as a going concern is dependent on improved profitability, the continued implementation of the performance improvement plan for the etailz segment, the availability of future funding and the completion of other strategic alternatives. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

The Company incurred net losses of $39.1 million and $31.7 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 and November 3, 2018, respectively, and has an accumulated deficit of $89.3 million at November 2, 2019. In addition, net cash used in operating activities for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 was $30.8 million. Net cash used in operating activities for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 3, 2018 was $53.3 million. The Company also experienced negative cash flows from operations during fiscal 2018 and 2017, and expects to incur net losses in the foreseeable future. Based on its recurring losses from operations, expectation of continuing operating losses for the foreseeable future, and uncertainty with respect to any available future funding, as well as the completion of other strategic alternatives, the Company has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date of filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Management has plans to address the Company’s current liquidity position. As disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed May 14, 2019, the Company implemented strategic initiatives on December 11, 2018, aimed at improving organizational efficiencies and conserving working capital needed to support the growth of the etailz segment (the “performance improvement plan”). As a result of the initiative, and inventory management in the fye segment, the Company was able to reduce cash used in operations by $22.5 million for the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2019 as compared to the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2018. We anticipate continued improvement in cash flows used in operations for the remainder of fiscal 2019. In addition, the Company continues to evaluate other strategic initiatives including establishing a credit facility at the etailz segment which could provide additional liquidity. At November 2, 2019, we had cash and cash equivalents of $3.1 million, net working capital of $35.4 million, short-term borrowings in the amount of $27.8 million on our revolving credit facility and $11.0 million of availability on our revolving credit facility. This compares to $4.5 million in cash and cash equivalents, net working capital of $70.0 million, short-term borrowings in the amount of $27.4 million on the Company’s revolving credit facility at November 3, 2018, and $22.1 million of availability on our revolving credit facility.

The Company’s primary sources of liquidity are its borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility, available cash and cash equivalents, and to a lesser extent, cash generated from operations. Our cash requirements relate primarily to working capital needed to operate our business, including funding operating expenses, the purchase of inventory and capital expenditures. Our ability to achieve profitability and meet future liquidity needs and capital requirements will depend upon numerous factors, including the timing and amount of our revenue; the timing and amount of our operating expenses; the timing and costs of working capital needs; and in the implementation of our strategy and planned activities.

In addition to the aforementioned current sources of existing working capital, the Company is continuing its efforts to generate additional sales and increase margins. There can be no assurance that any of the initiatives or strategic alternatives described above will be implemented, successful or consummated.

Reverse Stock Split:

On August 15, 2019, the Company effected a reverse stock split of its outstanding shares of common stock at a ratio of one-for-twenty pursuant to a Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York. The reverse stock split was reflected on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) beginning with the opening of trading on August 15, 2019. The primary purpose of the reverse stock split, which was approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s Annual Stockholders Meeting on June 27, 2019, was to enable the Company to regain compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on Nasdaq. Pursuant to the reverse stock split, every twenty shares of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock were automatically combined into one issued and outstanding share of common stock, without any change in the par value per share of the common stock. Unless otherwise indicated, all share and per share amounts of the common stock included in the accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been retrospectively adjusted to give effect to the reverse stock split for all periods presented, including reclassifying an amount equal to the reduction in par value to additional paid-in capital. Amounts of common stock resulting from the reverse stock split were rounded up to the nearest whole share. The reverse stock split affected all issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, and the respective numbers of shares of common stock underlying outstanding stock options, and the Company’s equity incentive plans were proportionately adjusted.

Asset Impairment Charges:

During the thirty nine weeks ended November 2, 2019, the Company concluded, based on continued operating losses within the fye segment driven by lower than expected third quarter sales that triggering events had occurred, and an evaluation of the fye long-lived assets for impairment was required. Fixed assets and operating lease right-of-use assets, primarily at the Company’s retail store locations, as well as certain fixed assets at the corporate location, consisting of the home office and the Albany distribution center, where impairment was determined to exist were written down to their estimated fair values as of the end of November 2, 2019, resulting in the recording of fixed assets and operating lease right-of-use assets impairment charges of $2.4 million and $13.6 million, respectively. Estimated fair values for long-lived assets at these locations, including operating lease right of use assets, store fixtures, equipment, and leasehold improvements were determined based on a measure of discounted future cash flows over the remaining lease terms at the respective locations. Future cash flows were estimated based on individual store and corporate level plans and were discounted at a rate approximating the Company’s cost of capital. Management believes its assumptions were reasonable and consistently applied.