Whitehall Jewelers Holdings Inc. filed for bankruptcy yesterday, becoming the latest jewelry retailer to seek court protection as the sagging U.S. economy cuts into consumers’ discretionary spending, Reuters reported. The company, which operates stores under such names as Whitehall and Lundstrom, is seeking to sell itself by July 18, according to an affidavit from its CFO. Whitehall said that it operates 373 retail stores in 39 U.S. states, and employs 2,852 people. The company said that its store base includes 78 locations it bought in April from Friedman’s Inc, a jewelry retailer that sought bankruptcy protection earlier this year, and which later began liquidating.