If you’ve walked past a mall lately and saw a "Store Closing" sign where the diamond logo used to be, you’re not alone in feeling a bit of whiplash. The rumor mill has been spinning fast. Is Volcom going out of business for good?
The short answer is no, but the long answer is a lot more complicated than just a "closed" sign on a glass door.
Basically, the Volcom you grew up with—the one with the massive flagship stores and the "True to This" lifestyle centers—is undergoing a massive, painful facelift. In early 2025, Liberated Brands, the company that actually operated the retail stores for Volcom, Quiksilver, and Billabong in the U.S., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
That move triggered the closure of over 100 brick-and-mortar locations across the country. It felt like the end of an era. Honestly, for many of the 1,400 employees laid off, it was.
The Reality of Volcom Going Out of Business Rumors
Here is the thing about modern retail: owning a brand and running a store are two totally different businesses. Volcom is owned by a massive powerhouse called Authentic Brands Group (ABG). ABG doesn’t really "make" clothes in the traditional sense; they own the names and the intellectual property.
They license the right to make and sell Volcom gear to other companies.
When people search for Volcom going out of business, they are seeing the wreckage of Liberated Brands. Liberated was the licensee. They hit a wall of high inflation, supply chain nightmares, and—let's be real—the crushing weight of fast-fashion giants like Shein and Temu.
By February 2025, Liberated realized they couldn't make the math work anymore. They filed for bankruptcy to liquidate their North American retail operations.
So, yes, the Volcom store at your local mall probably vanished. But the brand itself isn't dead. It's just homeless in the physical world for a minute.
Why the Mall Model Failed for Boardsports
The 90s and early 2000s were the golden age for skate and surf. You couldn't walk ten feet in a high school hallway without seeing a Volcom Stone or a Quiksilver mountain wave. But the world changed.
- Fast Fashion Pressure: Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren't always looking for a $65 hoodie when they can get a "vibe" for $15 on a shopping app.
- The Mall Death Spiral: Foot traffic in traditional malls has been cratering for years.
- Overextension: Experts like Todd Hymel, CEO of Liberated Brands, pointed out in court filings that the company struggled under the weight of "overinflated" store counts. They had too many expensive leases in places where people weren't buying enough boardshorts to cover the rent.
Is Volcom Still Making Clothes?
This is the part that confuses everyone. If you go to Volcom’s website right now, it’s still up. You can still buy Mod-Tech trunks and Frickin Modern Chinos.
That’s because ABG is already moving the pieces on the chessboard. Even as the stores were closing, ABG was signing new deals. For instance, in late 2025, they expanded partnerships with companies like Blue Sage Accessories to keep the wetsuit lines alive. They even opened new flagship stores in Hawaii (Waikīkī and Haleiwa) through different operating agreements.
It's a "Phoenix from the ashes" situation, but the new bird looks a lot more like a digital-first e-commerce brand than a retail giant.
The Numbers Behind the Shift
If we look at the data from late 2024 and early 2025, the writing was on the wall. Volcom's online revenue was hovering around $20 million annually, but growth was stagnant. While the brand still has a cult following, it’s competing in a world where "lifestyle" is a crowded category.
People still love the gear. The quality hasn't necessarily tanked, but the way we buy it has. ABG’s strategy is to get out of the "landlord" business (owning stores) and stay in the "brand" business (selling to Nordstrom, Zumiez, and directly online).
What This Means for Your Favorite Team Riders
One of the biggest heartbreaks in the Volcom going out of business saga was the fear for the skate and surf teams. Volcom was legendary for its houses on the North Shore and its "Veeco" film productions.
When a brand goes through a bankruptcy like this, marketing budgets are usually the first thing to get chopped. We saw a shift from a massive roster of pro riders to a smaller, more focused group of "ambassadors."
It’s less about having 50 guys on the payroll and more about having five people who can trend on TikTok. It sucks for the culture, but it's the reality of 2026.
How to Buy Volcom Now and in the Future
If you’re worried about where to get your gear, don’t panic. The brand is pivoting. You’ll see Volcom pop up in more "shop-in-shop" formats. Think of a mini-Volcom section inside a larger sporting goods store or a high-end boutique.
The days of the 5,000-square-foot standalone Volcom store in a suburban mall are mostly over.
Instead, look for:
- Direct-to-Consumer: Their website is their new flagship.
- Specialty Retailers: Shops like Zumiez still carry the core lines.
- TikTok Shop: ABG recently partnered with Pattern to become a premier TikTok Shop partner. Expect to see your feed flooded with Volcom deals soon.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Investors
If you're a fan, buy your favorite pieces now. Licensing transitions can sometimes lead to "gap years" where certain styles or fits change as new manufacturers take over the patterns.
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If you're looking at the business side, keep an eye on Authentic Brands Group. They are essentially the "vulture capitalists" of the fashion world—they buy struggling icons (Reebok, Boardriders, Volcom) and lean them out. It’s a ruthless model, but it’s the only reason these brands are still alive at all.
The "Stone" isn't going anywhere; it's just moving into a smaller, more efficient house.
Next Steps to Stay Updated:
- Check the official Volcom "Store Locator" to see which flagship locations survived the 2025 purge.
- Monitor ABG’s press room for news on new licensing partners, which usually dictates where the quality of the gear is headed.
- If you have gift cards from the Liberated Brands era, check the bankruptcy filing status immediately, as most liquidation periods for those credits have already expired.