Quiksilver, Billabong, and Volcom, once popular among Millennials for their surfer and skateboard-inspired clothing, are closing all of their stores permanently.
Over 100 locations across the U.S. will shut down in the coming weeks after their parent company, Liberated Brands, filed for bankruptcy. The company cited several factors for its financial troubles, including competition from fast-fashion brands and other economic challenges.
Liberated Brands stated that, despite efforts over the past year to revitalize these well-known brands, economic difficulties such as rising living costs, inflation, and changes in consumer spending have had a significant impact.
In bankruptcy filings, CEO Todd Hymel pointed to the combination of rising interest rates, ongoing inflation, and supply chain disruptions as major contributors to the company’s struggles. He also blamed fast-fashion competitors, which have made it easier for consumers to buy cheap, low-quality clothing quickly, while being more agile in adapting to rapidly changing trends compared to brick-and-mortar retailers.
Although Liberated Brands is shutting down its stores, the three iconic brands—Quiksilver, Billabong, and Volcom—are not disappearing entirely. Their parent company, Authentic Brands Group, is transferring the brand licenses to a new operator, ensuring the continued production of their clothing lines.
Authentic Brands Group explained that the stores had become “overinflated” and burdened with outdated and underperforming locations. Moving forward, the affected clothing lines will be sold at specialty retailers, department stores, and online, allowing for a more flexible and resilient future for the brands.
These closures add to the growing list of retailers closing locations this year, including Kohl’s and Macy’s. According to Coresight Research, over 15,000 stores are expected to shut down in 2025, more than double the number of closures from the previous year.