Premium youth retailer Glue Store has finally wound up operations after its owner, Accent Group, said in February that it would be shutting down the brand.

Accent Group has been closing 23 Glue Store locations in the wake of an $8.4 million loss reported by the youth brand. In April 2025, Inside Retail exclusively revealed the brand’s pivot to premium retail.

No more purchases can be made via Glue Store’s website, which now displays a message that reads: “After many years of bringing you the styles you love, Glue Store has permanently closed – both in-store and online. We are so grateful for your loyalty and support over the years.”

The website then promotes other brands in Accent Group’s portfolio.

It comes at a trying time for retail, a sector that has recently been blighted by the closures of Barbeques Galore and Lincraft, two storied Australian retail businesses.

“What we are seeing across the retail sector is the impact of an increasingly challenging economic time,” wrote retail researcher and expert Professor Gary Mortimer on LinkedIn in reaction to Glue Store’s closure.

“It is the perfect storm. Increasing rental prices, interest rate hikes, and broader inflationary pressures are resulting in higher utilities bills, fuel prices, and the cost of living.”

Mortimer argued that the current economic climate is impacting discretionary spending, as consumers focus on the essentials. This argument aligns with the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which found discretionary spending fell by 0.8 per cent from March to April.

Over the same period, the price of clothing and footwear goods increased by 6.1 per cent, reflecting rising operating costs and making it the fastest-increasing product sector tracked in the ABS’ consumer price index.