Bankruptcy shutting down 124 stores nationwide as 3 iconic retail chains forever
There was a time when Billabong, Quiksilver and Volcom were in-demand and trendy, but those days appear to be far too long ago.
All three brands are owned by Liberated Brands LLC, and the company filed for bankruptcy on Sunday in the U.S. District of Delaware, according to USA Today. The Spyder, RVCA, Roxy and Honolua brands also fall under Liberated’s umbrella, per USA Today, and it operated 124 retail locations.
“Macroeconomic issues, including a rapid and dramatic rise in interest rates, persistent inflation, supply chain delays, a decline in customer demand well below the historical trendline, shifting customer preferences, and substantial fixed costs placed significant pressure on Liberated’s revenue and cost structure,” Liberated CEO Todd Hymel said in the filing, per USA Today.
“The Liberated team has worked tirelessly over the last year to propel these iconic brands forward, but a volatile global economy, consumer spending changes amid a rising cost of living, and inflationary pressure have all taken a heavy toll,” the company told USA Today.
The site reported that Liberated owes $83 million in secured debt and $143 million in unsecured debt.
USA Today said that Billabong, Quicksilver and Volcom have pop-ups on their website informing customers that they will not accept gift cards after Feb. 16. The site said it is unclear when the physical locations might close but added that Liberated’s filing stated it only had about $3.3 million in cash remaining, “which would only support its operation for one week.”
Good news for fans of the brands, per USA Today, Liberated is working to try to “transition its brand licenses to new license holders,” which means they might not be gone forever.