The fashion brand Scotch & Soda will cease operations in its nearly 40 stores in Germany at the end of August, resulting in 290 people losing their jobs, the provisional insolvency administrator told dpa on Thursday. Holger Rhode said for most shops, Saturday will be their last day. About five stores might remain open longer to sell off the remaining stock. Employees were informed on Tuesday, he said. The rights holder of the brand and merchandise, a private equity fund based in the United States, was not interested in either transferring the rights to a new investor or agreeing to a new licen…