It’s the end of an era for fashion lovers across Australia. Glue Store, a beloved retailer with decades of history, is shutting its doors for good. Once a go-to destination for trendy apparel, the brand has been deemed ‘unprofitable’ by its parent company, Accent Group, leaving many to wonder: What went wrong? And this is the part most people miss—despite initial hopes that the remaining stores could turn a profit, all 16 will close by the end of the 2026 financial year. But here’s where it gets controversial: Was this decline inevitable, or could Accent Group have done more to save the brand? Let’s dive in.
Accent Group, the retail giant behind popular brands like Dr. Martens, The Athlete’s Foot, and Platypus, acquired Glue Store in 2021. Within just three years, the company slashed the number of Glue Store locations in half, closing 17 stores in 2024 alone. At the time, Accent Group assured stakeholders that the remaining stores were ‘expected to be profitable.’ Fast forward to today, and those expectations have crumbled. An ASX announcement on Wednesday confirmed the brand’s fate: ‘The company has made the decision to cease the operations of Glue Store. The business will be wound down or sold.’
Closing-down sales are now in full swing, both online and in-store, as the retailer prepares to exit the market. Financially, the situation is dire—Glue Store reported an EBIT loss of $8.4 million in the first half of the 2026 financial year, including provisions for closure. Meanwhile, Accent Group is shifting its focus to expanding its more successful brands, with 898 stores currently operating across its portfolio, including 27 new openings in the past six months.
But here’s the question that’s sparking debate: Did Accent Group give Glue Store a fair chance, or was it too quick to pull the plug? Some argue that the brand’s decline reflects broader challenges in the retail industry, while others believe Accent Group’s strategic priorities simply didn’t align with Glue Store’s needs. What do you think? Is this closure a necessary business decision, or a missed opportunity to revive a once-iconic brand? Share your thoughts in the comments below—we’d love to hear your take on this fashion farewell.
