t Group is the Australasian distributor of footwear brands including Vans, Skechers, Platypus Shoes, Dr. Martens, Palladium, Reef (New Zealand only), Replay, Stance, and Timberland (in Australia only). The group also operates Skechers, Vans, and Platypus Shoes stores in Australia and New Zealand, as well as Timberland stores in Australia. Bing, Harris & Co’s Emporium site opened just over six months ago, and will reopen as a Skechers store by early March. Bing, Harris and Co’s two other standalone stores at Highpoint Shopping Centre and Chadstone, both in Victoria, will be closed. Accent Group told Inside Retail PREMIUM it declined to take over the remaining stores as it already had sites trading in each centre. In New Zealand, stores will reopen as either Platypus or Skechers stores. The sites will begin to be converted from February 1, with the entire rollout expected to be completed by June. Bing, Harris & Co began in NZ in 2012 as a menswear brand and introduced womenswear to its offering in 2013, however, the Bing, Harris & Co name dates back to 1858, when it was established as general merchants, warehousemen, and importers. Inside Retail PREMIUM understands the 13 Myer concessions will also close by the end of this month. Bing, Harris & Co’s online store continues to trade, however, all items are heavily reduced and the brand’s social media pages have not been updated since November. It is believed the brand’s majority owner, Michael Beagley, is now focused on international expansion, mainly the in US, for menswear brand, Rodd & Gunn, of which he has an 80 per cent ownership. Rodd & Gunn has more than 80 sites, including standalone stores and concessions, across Australia and NZ. This story first appeared in Inside Retail PREMIUM issue 2030. To subscribe, click here.