Well-known Australian clothing chain announces bankruptcy and liquidation, 16 stores will be closed

The content of this article is reproduced from the public account: Sydney News

Well-known Australian clothing retail chain brand Glue will be gradually closed and sold by footwear and fashion giant Accent Group.

Accent Group announced in a trading update on Thursday that all 16 Glue stores will close before the end of fiscal 2026.

Glue is known for selling several popular brands, including Abrand, Nike, NudeLucy, Thrills, Ksubi, New Balance, Adidas, Deus and Birkenstock.

One consumer lamented on social media:

“It’s one of my favorite stores and I buy a lot of stuff there, it’s such a shame.”

The decision to close the business comes amid a long history of poor financial performance and mounting losses for the brand.

An impairment test showed Glue recorded an earnings before interest and tax (EBITA) loss of A$8.4 million in the first half of the 2026 financial year.

The report also pointed out that many stores need to carry out asset impairment processing.

Currently, Glue’s official website is running a promotion, offering an additional 30% off on top of the already discounted products, including 40% off on T-shirts and shorts.

Accent Group owns and operates a number of large retail chain brands, including The Athlete’s Foot, Hype DC, Platypus Shoes, Sketchers and Vans.

At the same time, the group is also a distributor in Australia and New Zealand of well-known footwear brands such as Dr Martens, Vans, Timberland, Hoka, Superga, Saucony, Lacoste and Dickies.

It is reported that Accent Group decided to close the remaining stores after holding Glue for five years to further focus on global brands.

The Glue brand was founded in 1998 by Australian retail entrepreneur Hilton Seskin and was acquired by Accent Group from JD Sports Fashion in 2021.

Accent Group also plans to open five new Lacoste stores in the next year. The group has become the exclusive local distributor of Lacoste in 2024.

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