FANS have been left gutted after a superstar-founded clothing store shut down without any warning.
The Mancunian fashion house opened in 2009 sporting the A-lister’s signature look.
An A-lister-founded clothing store has announced it’s shutting up shop[/caption]
Just as the Oasis reunion is announced, Pretty Green – a menswear company founded by frontman Liam Gallagher – declared it is shutting its doors.
The store on King Street, Manchester, offered clothes representing the bands iconic look including parkas, jackets and t-shirts with Oasis lyrics.
Despite being bought by JD Sports in 2019 and then by Frasers Group in 2022, the clothing brand echoed the Oasis aesthetic and fans are still devastated to see it go.
Pretty Green once had 12 standalone stores, according to Business Live, but now only one resides in Sheffield with most of the brands shopping done online.
The brand announced the store through an Instagram post stating: “Yesterday was our last day of trading at our Manchester store.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported the store over the years. We leave with great memories, having met some of our idols, alongside lifelong friends and fans.”
Shoppers were quick to express their frustration in the comment section.
One fan wrote: “Why on earth is it closing down. People come to Manc just for that shop. Certainly won’t be going all the way to Sheffield for it.”
Another said: “Seems odd to close the Manchester branch—especially at a time when interest in Oasis/the Gallagher brothers is at fever pitch and only going to remain so in the lead-up to, and throughout their tour.”
A third user added: “Another one down. Manchester is losing its soul.”
The store was seen as the centrepiece of the brand, being in the city where Oasis was formed and selling a range of music history memorabilia.
Fans were left frenzied after the shock Oasis reunion announcement this year, with some queuing for hours and other buying tickets for thousands.
Now many are baffled at why the store is closing just as Oasis has garnered a new wave of global attention.
This isn’t the first time the iconic clothing brand has struggled, with Gallagher offloading it to JD sports after racking up £18million worth of debts.
Many remain confused as to how the shop got in so much financial trouble, especially after its initial success.
Despite riding the wave of the bands popularity and have a plethora of celeb investors, including including former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole, the brand appeared doomed to fail.
Now the King Street shop, which spread out on to two floors, will no longer sell any distinctive button up shirts or host music nights with performances from local bands.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.
Film director Charlie Lightening also showcased a series of photos of Liam Gallagher in the store in 2022 from his Knebworth gig.
Pretty Green announced that in honour of their 15th anniversary it is releasing an “Anniversary Paisley” – a print you can, of course, buy on a parka.
Unfortunately if you want to get your hands on it you’ll have to try online or the Sheffield store.
Pretty Green finished their Instagram caption with a quote from an Oasis song: “We’ve got a bunch of new things coming though so stay tuned… #prettygreen #liveforever.”
