Outdoor Voices, the activewear brand once celebrated as a direct-to-consumer (DTC) darling, has closed all of its retail locations. The total number of stores that Outdoor Voices closed is 16. These stores were situated in major U.S. markets, including cities such as Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Charlotte, New York, Houston, San Diego, and Dallas. The Dallas store, specifically located at NorthPark Center, was among those that closed.
The company, which was founded in 2013 by Tyler Haney in New York City and is now headquartered in Austin, Texas, OV quickly became a darling of the DTC space, reaching a valuation of $110 million by 2018 to $40 million in January 2020, accompanied by layoffs across the company. After the company's valuation plummeted and a series of senior executive departures signaled internal struggles.
Gabrielle Conforti has been serving as the CEO of Outdoor Voices since 2021, taking the helm after Haney tendered her resignation in February 2020. Despite the abrupt closure of its brick-and-mortar stores, Outdoor Voices' products will continue to be available for purchase online, and the brand's apparel has also been sold through other retailers such as REI and Nordstrom.
Insiders have pointed to a series of missteps leading to the brand's decline, including upper-level mismanagement and a toxic corporate culture that persisted even after the departure of founder Ty Haney in 2020. The company reportedly struggled with cash flow issues, failing to pay vendors and rent for its stores. These financial woes culminated in a mass layoff of the corporate workforce and the closure of all 16 retail locations.
Reports from various sources, including The New York Times and Reddit, indicate that employees were blindsided by the abrupt decision to close stores. Many learned of their fate through a Slack message stating, "Outdoor Voices is embarking on a new chapter as we transition to an exclusively online business." This lack of personal communication has been criticized for lacking empathy, leaving many employees feeling betrayed and jobless, without severance or compensation for unused paid time off.
In the Reddit post, a former employee of OV store said:
"PLEASE be nice to employees. They laid all of us off with NO warning whatsoever."
Another former employee commented, 'I am (was) a Supervisor at the San Diego store,' said:
"Y'all, this is [bad]. I was told and reassured that everything was fine. We were planning events. Working on hiring new people. And completely out of the blue yesterday, we all got the news."
While another chimed in, 'I am a supervisor at the flatiron store,' said:
"We were just told via email that we will be closed and losing our jobs on Sunday. I’ve worked there for almost a year and had nothing lined up I am absolutely appalled with how this has been handled"
Another former employee said:
"We were hiring new employees, have been receiving replen, being told we were getting new product; I streamlined the entire backstock to prep for this and got told our store will be closing and we will be out of work in THREE DAYS."
Another:
"As a former employee who had to deal with the Nashville store closing abruptly in January, this company is horrible."
And, Another:
"New-ish hire here from houston - just celebrated my 30 day 6 days ago, now gotta find something else. I hate that the store managers and everyone in retail are being thrown away like rags"
Commentors replied to the thread saying:
"Yikes. I feel bad for the employees, this seems so sudden."
"It’s actually ridiculous to do this so suddenly when even a [bad] company should be able to do financial forecasts more than a week in advance. They 100% knew this was coming and for what. What do they gain to do this so suddenly. It makes no sense to me from a business OR human perspective."
"You know it’s bad when they turned off their comments on Instagram."
"How is this not a lawsuit in the making for them really? So many people out of jobs on both the corporate and retail level and they don’t even have the decency to let people know beforehand. Insane behavior."
"I’m so sorry to hear! I always had a nice experience at the flatiron store, it was right next to my office . you’ll find something better soon."
"I visited the San Diego store in December and the two employees there were so kind, encouraging, and helpful, I think the first time I felt loved in a store? I hope all the employees are able to find a better fit elsewhere with a company that treats them right. "
"I’m so sorry. You all deserve better"
"This is so shitty for the employees, i completely feel for them"
Looking Ahead
As Outdoor Voices navigates this significant transition, questions remain about the future of the brand and the impact on its loyal customer base. The shift to online-only sales marks the end of an era for a company that once stood at the forefront of the athleisure movement. While the decision may be a strategic step towards financial stability, it serves as a stark reminder of the volatile nature of the retail landscape and the importance of transparent communication during times of change.
