If you’ve walked past a Quiksilver store with big “liquidation” signs or scrolled past headlines mentioning bankruptcy, you might be wondering if the surf brand is actually going under. The short answer: No, Quiksilver isn’t going out of business, but its U.S. stores are seeing major changes. The brand itself is sticking around, but the folks who ran its stores across America are out.
Why Are So Many Quiksilver Stores Closing?
Quiksilver’s not disappearing, but the company that owned and ran all its U.S. brick-and-mortar locations—Liberated Brands—recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. That’s the portion grabbing headlines. When companies file for Chapter 11, it means they’re asking for protection from creditors so they can try to reorganize, but not everything always survives.
For Liberated, the numbers didn’t add up. The company is shutting down more than 100 stores across the country, which includes Quiksilver, Billabong, Volcom, Honolua, and RVCA locations. Hawaii’s nine stores are apparently still being negotiated, but most other stores in the mainland U.S. are already holding liquidation sales. These sales could wrap up by the end of April 2025, but some specifics are still in flux.
Who Got Hit by These Store Closures?
Store closures of this size always impact workers first. Around 1,400 employees are facing layoffs as these stores shut down. Some employees might find jobs with new companies that take over the brand’s retail license, but a lot will need to look for completely new roles.
Gordon Brothers, a well-known firm that handles large-scale going-out-of-business sales, is managing the liquidation for these stores. If you’ve ever seen those urgent “Everything Must Go!” banners, there’s a good chance these are the folks behind it.
How Did Liberated Brands End Up In Bankruptcy?
The roots of this mess go deeper than just a few bad quarters. Liberated Brands ended up with too many stores, too much debt, and not enough profit. After the pandemic, the company expanded, reportedly growing from 67 to 140 locations. But then, consumer spending fell—hard. People started shifting their wallets toward essentials instead, while inflation and rising interest rates made every sale even more important.
Liberated also blamed big swings in the global economy, supply chain headaches, and trouble competing with fast-fashion brands like Shein, H&M, and Zara. Those chains can put trendy, cheap clothes on racks faster and cheaper than specialty surf shops ever could.
All this came to a head with major debt—$226 million, according to reports. In December 2024, Authentic Brands Group (the parent company that actually owns the Quiksilver name) pulled its license from Liberated. About 363 workers were let go at the start of January 2025 as part of the first wave.
What Is Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Anyway?
Lots of people confuse bankruptcy with “going out of business,” but Chapter 11 is a little different. Businesses use it as a reset button, asking the courts for shelter from their lenders while trying to reorganize what they owe. Sometimes, it’s a lifeline that helps companies survive, but for Liberated, it’s more about closing stores and paying back what they can.
Quiksilver and the other brands themselves aren’t bankrupt. It’s just the retail operator—the one with all those expensive leases—shutting down its physical presence in the U.S., at least for now.
So, What Happens to Quiksilver Now?
Just because the stores are closing doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get your hands on Quiksilver board shorts or tees. Authentic Brands Group, the current parent company, still owns the Quiksilver brand globally. They’re making sure the brand’s products stay available through other means. They’ve called the stores “overinflated,” saying too many weren’t making enough money.
Going forward, Quiksilver is shifting away from old-school mall stores. Instead, their products will show up more in specialty surf shops, independent retailers, department stores, and online. Authentic Brands wants an “agile and resilient future” for Quiksilver, figuring they’re better off without the baggage of sluggish physical store sales.
Right now, other companies are bidding to become new licensees, so you’ll still find Quiksilver gear on shelves. There’s also a big push for e-commerce. In fact, many remaining U.S. store items are being sold through online liquidation events as the physical shops wind down.
How Does This Fit Into the Bigger Retail Picture?
Quiksilver’s situation isn’t unique for 2025. The retail world is in flux. Industry watchers expect more than 15,000 U.S. stores will close this year—twice as many as last year’s count. Iconic names are scaling back, including Macy’s (which is closing over 150 stores) and Kohl’s (closing at least 27 locations).
Fast-fashion and e-commerce have made it tough for long-established brands to keep up, especially those with a big and expensive brick-and-mortar footprint. Quiksilver is just one of many battling with the new realities of shopping trends—more clicks, fewer in-person visits, and customers who want both value and variety.
Why Fast Fashion and Lower Spending Made It Worse
Shoppers care about price and speed these days. While Quiksilver and Billabong made their reputation on authentic surf lifestyle, younger buyers sometimes reach for whatever’s cool and cheap right now. With companies like Shein turning around entire collections in a week, niche retailers with higher costs and slower supply chains have trouble competing.
Post-pandemic, more people started saving, not splurging. Even the best-loved brands suffered from lower foot traffic, and Quiksilver was no exception.
What About Employees and the Communities?
Losing more than a hundred stores means a lot of people lose their jobs and local malls lose tenants. Some retail staff might get hired back by new licensees or work in the distribution centers tied to online retail, but it’s a big transition.
For years, Quiksilver stores doubled as mini-community hubs—hosting contests, meet-and-greet athlete events, and sometimes even art shows. That part of the local retail culture disappears when you switch to less physical footprint and more web-based shopping.
So, Is Quiksilver Still a Thing?
Quiksilver isn’t vanishing. The brand is continuing under Authentic Brands Group, which also owns names like Reebok and Nautica. Quiksilver products will pop up in new locations, maybe even stores you already shop in, and definitely online.
This isn’t the first time the brand has had to reinvent where and how it sells. For most fans, you’ll still find Quiksilver’s classic designs and gear—just not at the old company-owned mall shops you remember.
Over at Edge Business Magazine, there’s a deeper breakdown on how the 2025 retail shakeup is forcing companies from all sectors to rethink how they reach customers. Surf-wear isn’t immune to the same trends hitting other apparel, electronics, or home brands.
The Real Takeaway: Store Closures, Not Brand Death
If you pass a Quiksilver, Billabong, or RVCA store with liquidation signs this spring, it’s not because the overall brand is gone. It’s because the operator who ran the physical stores in the U.S.—Liberated Brands—no longer holds the license and is shutting things down as part of bankruptcy.
The brand itself continues, with new partners taking over U.S. distribution. Expect to see Quiksilver products online, in surf stores, select department chains, and new specialty retail partners in the months ahead. Their classic logo isn’t disappearing from the surf and skate world, just showing up in new places.
Looking Ahead: Quiksilver in the 2025 Retail World
Retail has always been about change, and Quiksilver’s leaders are betting that shifting away from slow, expensive mall stores is the right call. The brand doesn’t seem to be in danger of disappearing entirely—far from it. Instead, it’s finding new ways to stay in the conversation for surfers, skaters, and anyone who still loves the style.
The shakeout is tough for workers and for fans who loved having those stores close by. But Quiksilver’s future looks more like a modern apparel company—leaner, more flexible, thriving in specialty stores, department chains, and most of all, online. That’s probably where you’ll see the next generation of surf kids buying their first Quiksilver T-shirt or picking out boardshorts for summer.
So, to clear up the rumors: Quiksilver isn’t going out of business. Its old U.S. retail stores are, but the brand itself is staying put, just selling in different ways. Brands in 2025 have to change or get left behind, and Quiksilver seems ready to ride that wave, wherever it leads next.
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