A major shake-up in the retail world has left shoppers wondering what comes next.

What began as a routine business move has now led to the closure of some long-standing stores, sending ripples through the industry.

The repercussions are far-reaching, but what does this sudden shift really mean for the future of shopping?

Mosaic Brands, the company behind popular Australian retailers such as Millers and Noni B, has announced the closure of its remaining stores.

The two chains, along with Rivers, will be completely shut down by April after receivers failed to secure a buyer for the group.

The closures will result in the loss of 252 stores and 933 jobs.

Mosaic Brands to close stores, jobs lost nationwide. Image source: Instagram/boovalfair/strathpinecentre

Receiver David Hardy from KPMG shared: 'Despite the best efforts of all parties, we have been unable to achieve a sale of any of the brands within the Mosaic portfolio.'

The closure announcement follows the recent shutdown of other Mosaic brands, including Katies, Rockmans, Autograph, Crossroads, W Lane, and BeMe.

Hardy confirmed: 'As a result, all stores in the Mosaic Brands Group will be wound down over the coming months. We expect all stores will be closed by mid-April.'

The decision came shortly after the announcement of the end of the men’s clothing chain Rivers, also part of the Mosaic group.

Mosaic had entered voluntary administration in October, initially planning to wind down five of its chains: Rockmans, Autograph, Crossroads, W Lane, and BeMe, with the focus shifting to its remaining brands.

However, all of these brands, including Rivers, Millers, and Noni B, will now be shuttered.

The receivers acknowledged the support received from the management team, employees, customers, and suppliers during the process, expressing gratitude for their cooperation.

Closing down sales will occur at individual stores depending on stock levels, with each location's closing scheduled at different times.

In a previous story, we detailed the closure of Rivers, another beloved brand under the Mosaic umbrella.

All 136 stores across Australia were set to shut down, leaving approximately 650 employees without jobs after receivers failed to secure a buyer.

For more on how this affects both employees and the wider retail industry, be sure to read the full article here.

Key Takeaways

• Mosaic Brands announced the closure of its remaining stores, including Millers, Noni B, and Rivers, after receivers failed to find a buyer for the group.
• The closures will result in the shutdown of 252 stores and the loss of 933 jobs, with all stores expected to close by mid-April.
• Receiver David Hardy confirmed that despite efforts, no sale was achieved for any of the brands in the Mosaic portfolio, including Katies, Rockmans, and others.
• Closing down sales will be held at individual stores, with each location closing depending on stock levels and scheduled at different times.

With so many closures happening, how do you think this will impact local shoppers and the retail industry as a whole? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[MariaG]

What we will see in shopping complexes are the fancy pantsy too dear for most people stores that have clothes in them to fit stick figures.
Anything more affordable will be either Kmart, or online.
I wander through my local Westfield and do a lot of nose to the window stuff. Some beautiful things out there that a way beyond my budget.
Sad but true.

 

[mylittletibbies]

With all these popular stores closing down where do we buy from now. ? I don't want shop online. I like to feel the quality & try garments on. Can't do that
online. We are supporting China mainly, the copy cats, by buying on line, which is so wrong. Why can't Australia make clothing fom Australian cotton. We had so many manufactures here but hardly any, if any now. What is wrong with us. Unions, continual wage rises, lazy Australians. If you look at shops, restaurants etc mostly what you see are every denomination of country working there & hardly any Aussies. We are ruining our own country.

You answered your own question.
Unions, continual wages rises lazy workers, etc etc.
We have priced ourselves out of the market and I have no idea why Albo thinks he can start up manufacturing here in Australia again. We just can't compete.
We have already ruined our own country.

 

[Morgans Orchard]

The clothing stores all hit rock bottom when COVID started . Not only Millers and Noni B Black Pepper another store I like stopped making all the pretty coloured Tops and Dresses but all these hideous colours Now I walk in one side of the store ,round the back and walk down the other side out the door and don’t see anything I would have if they gave it to me . The quality of the fabric is not wash and wear it is wear and thro away . Even Doona covers are the same . I bought Logan and Mason used to be upmarket product ,it was made in Bangladesh . The material is so bad it looks like you have washed it and put it through the spin dryer and spun the guts out of it every morning when you make the bed..I used to do my own dressmaking but can’t see to thread the needle now. Have large box of beautiful material I bought years ago but trying to find a dressmaker is impossible all they want to do is alterations after you have bought it online.

 

[freedy50]

Online shopping is not to blame for this.
They were run into the ground by the companies that kept owning them not having a clue what to do with their shops. In a couple of years they were taken over about 3 times by private acquisition companies.

They were also fined about $930k in total by the ACCC for various misdemeanors. And went bust owing $240m!!

 

[schurch]

I was a regular buyer from BeMe and Autograph as their styles were a better fit for me as a larger size lady. Not exactly right but pretty good. Kmart have had the occasional good ones. If these stores are closing completely, even from online, where on earth are we supposed to buy our clothing from? If us middle to older age ladies want to get around in track-suits and t-shirts every day we won't have a problem BUT I don't think I would like to be seen slumming in trackies every day. I like to have some pride in my appearance. Greedy corporations looking for too much money are going to lose out, like they have to the likes of Temu and Shein, because many Pensioners and low-income families cannot afford to pay for the more expensive items in fancy boutiques! Just put what probably will be my last order in with Autograph and hope to receive it soon.

 

[Greg350]

Online shopping strikes again.

I feel this is only the tip of the iceberg.

They have online shopping too.

 

[Penny4]

Online shopping is not to blame for this.
They were run into the ground by the companies that kept owning them not having a clue what to do with their shops. In a couple of years they were taken over about 3 times by private acquisition companies.

They were also fined about $930k in total by the ACCC for various misdemeanors. And went bust owing $240m!!

Agreed, plus the demise of customer service being sent overseas to answer any queries for the staff and customers.

 

[Luckyus]

How many of these retail shops, actually sold goods made in Australia? Including those just sew a made in LABEL?

 

[Greg350]

They are going because they are not making enough money, trying to sell clothing at far too high a price. Looked at Gazman yesterday, polo type tops were $90, Kmart have ones with the same material, similar designs for $20.

You do realise that mark ups on clothing is massive, and the big brand names think they can go even higher. Often clothing for say, Rivers, is made in the same factory as Kmart. The factory is sectioned off into the different brands, each making their own designs but sourcing the same materials. Costings for a polo top is around the $5.00 mark, Kmart at $20 are making some money, Gazman at $90 is making far more money. It comes down to what a company wants, high volumes with low prices, making a little on each product or low volumes making a lot more on each product. Problem is if you don't sell enough product you don't get enough return.

JB Hi Fi uses the high volumes/low cost structure and it works, places like Harvey Norman use the high cost/low volume structure and can struggle at times.

There are so many different retailers out there, high cost clothing is not automatically far better, I've bought a few items from Vinnies, Ralph Loren, Polo, items that cost hundreds new and they last the same as my Kmart items. So what's the point of paying huge amounts of money, buy cheap and replace more regularly.

 

[Ellev]

I’m sorry to disagree with you but the apparel l have bought from TEMU has been of very good quality both in the making and the fabrics.
Whilst l feel for those who have lost there jobs l stopped shopping at Millers and Rivers long before TEMU came along.

You must be very lucky. I have bought clothes off Temu which were absolute rubbish. Nothing like the pictures and poor quality.

 

[Ellev]

Well that's it then. I'm off to buy a sewing machine and plant a fig tree.

 

[Cheezil]

Sad, but hardly surprising, when so many get/got sucked in by the flood of advertising by Temu/Shein without giving a stuff about obvious consequences of them/the masses doing so!
I wonder if any of these people's families have lost local/Aussie jobs after their selfish decisions!

 

[relljube]

I don't believe it is really due to online shopping. I have been a Rivers and Millers shopper for years. Some time ago they changed their focus and downgraded the quality and design of their clothing. Lovely colourful tops and pants gave way to chunky, single colour (mostly dark), heavy material items. In recent times there doesn't seem to be any difference between summer and winter clothing. It is just the same, some of it a bit lighter. Also larger size women are not catered for as it should be. Lots of small sizes but when you start looking at 16 and above it's slim pickings. Rivers used to have amazing shoes, then it went to junk. Bulky, hot, lots of back. I don't know if it was a change of buyer but something changed and the whole thing went south really quickly. I have lovely coloured long pants, light weight for summer, some with elastic ankles. Can't get them anymore. And just on that, Kmart should watch out. They are going the same way. All chunky, dark clothing. Not much in bigger sizes. And their kitchen stuff has changed too. Gone from lovely ceramic canisters with pretty designs and colours to plastic and glass with rubbish colours. Everything there seems to be cheap and nasty and that is the way things seem to be going in the last few years

Agree - it is not the on line stores that have caused a problem. #1 problem when Mosaic bought out Rivers, Millers etc etc (greedy bastards!) they paid way too much for the all brands because they wanted the monopoly. #2 Having picked everything up, they then reviewed their purchasing - poor choices in stock - styles, colours, sizes, variety etc. so customers went elsewhere. #3 What they did offer was such pool quality that stock stayed in the stores. #4 with such large borrowing to buy out the competition, they are unable to meet their financial obligations so have to close everything down.
Kmart, Big W and Target will be the next ones to go bust as their stock is so pathetic and service non-existent that customers will vote with their feet and go elsewhere or online. You may as well shop overseas as the quality is just as bad as these two but at half the price.
Unfortunately, the board of directors of these conglomerates are too greed focused on trying to squeeze the last cent out of their investment that the future is not in their lexicon. They live for the profit today and can't see the peril that their greed is causing for future profitability. Serves them right.

 

[relljube]

Don't other chain stores sell larger sizes for ladies?

No - but the pickings offered by Kmart, Autograph, Target & BigW are such trash they I don't bother any more. Best & Less do have a limited department for larger women but even their stock quality has deteriorated in the last couple of years.

 

[relljube]

I haven't noticed all dark colours in the stores, but I do know that it depends where you live with what stock is in the stores. ie. southern states get more dark colours and heavier materials than northern states.
At least unpicking those darts isn't a huge problem for you. Paying for a seamstress is dollars for altering which we don't want.

Even on the Gold Coast it is all black, navy, white, beige - that's it!

 

[relljube]

Sad, but hardly surprising, when so many get/got sucked in by the flood of advertising by Temu/Shein without giving a stuff about obvious consequences of them/the masses doing so!
I wonder if any of these people's families have lost local/Aussie jobs after their selfish decisions!

Unfortunately the selfishness spreads to the Board of Directors of Mosaic who bought out all the outlets at premium prices and now cannot afford to meet financial obligations of their greed.

 

[Penny4]

Even on the Gold Coast it is all black, navy, white, beige - that's it!

Where do you buy your clothes from?
Or slim pickings perhaps.

 

[relljube]

Where do you buy your clothes from?
Or slim pickings perhaps.

I scratch around Best & Less, Target, Big W and hope for the best. If I need something special I go to Sybils on line from Brisbane - they have lovely clothes but are a bit pricey - some of their sale items are good value - good fit and good colours.

 

[freedy50]

They are going because they are not making enough money, trying to sell clothing at far too high a price. Looked at Gazman yesterday, polo type tops were $90, Kmart have ones with the same material, similar designs for $20.

You do realise that mark ups on clothing is massive, and the big brand names think they can go even higher. Often clothing for say, Rivers, is made in the same factory as Kmart. The factory is sectioned off into the different brands, each making their own designs but sourcing the same materials. Costings for a polo top is around the $5.00 mark, Kmart at $20 are making some money, Gazman at $90 is making far more money. It comes down to what a company wants, high volumes with low prices, making a little on each product or low volumes making a lot more on each product. Problem is if you don't sell enough product you don't get enough return.

JB Hi Fi uses the high volumes/low cost structure and it works, places like Harvey Norman use the high cost/low volume structure and can struggle at times.

There are so many different retailers out there, high cost clothing is not automatically far better, I've bought a few items from Vinnies, Ralph Loren, Polo, items that cost hundreds new and they last the same as my Kmart items. So what's the point of paying huge amounts of money, buy cheap and replace more regularly.

That's a good summary

 

[Tommy Jones]

Go tell it to Albo and Dutton.
Albo has done zero to fix the economy and is now officially Australia’s WORST PRIME MINISTER.
These losers we keep voting in will continue to line their own pockets and screw the rest of us.