More than 6,000 people lined up Saturday morning in front of Sogo's Tama store in Western Tokyo, one of the branches that ailing department store operator Sogo Co. is shutting down, to snap up bargains in its final sale.

Bargain-hunters get ready Saturday morning to snap up cut-price items in the closing-down sale at the Tama branch of bankrupt department store operator Sogo Co.

Some potential customers spent the entire night in front of the store waiting for the doors to open as most of the items were being sold at less than half their original prices.

One of the employees said she had never seen such a huge crowd at the store, which was opened in October 1989.

The crush of bargain-hunters prompted the store to open at 10:15 a.m., 15 minutes earlier than its usual opening time.

Masashi Miyamoto, who was among the first through the doors, said it is a shame the store is shutting down.

"I came here to do some shopping when it opened more than 10 years ago. I think people in the city will miss the store," said the 32-year-old company worker.

The sale will last until the end of this month.

Sogo Co. and its group companies filed for court-mediated rehabilitation with the Tokyo District Court on July 12, giving up a controversial bailout plan that would have had the government spend public money to keep the private firm afloat.

The Sogo group has total debts of some 1.87 trillion yen, while the Tama store alone is about 55.8 billion yen in debt, according to the firm.