Mountain Designs Closing Down

[johnw]

MD in Birkenhead Point (Sydney) is still well stocked at present. No sign of closing down just yet. Not sure what its future holds.

We were in the CBD for Oz Day so I called into the Kent St store. Looking very sad and depleted. I had bought a pair of Keen trail runners for $75 a couple of weeks ago. At that stage the store still had reasonable stock of other items and said they were getting stuff shipped in from others store that were closing. Now many of the shelves have been emptied and dismantled.

[rcaffin]

They still looked to have a fair range of hard shells.

That was just one of their problems: super-heavy super-expensive GTX hardshells, in an era of light-weight gear and silnylon. A lot of other MD gear was like that.

Cheers
Roger

[Dexter]

I’m yet to be convinced with silnylon over a decent shell. I guess they serve a different purpose. I know they are super light but aren’t they essentially like a non breathable garbage bag made into a jacket? I’m willing to be convinced otherwise though. I’m just not too sure I’d trade my Arc’teryx hardshell for one.


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[Zapruda]

That’s kind of the point. Sil nylon is cheap, able to handle some abrasion and is waterproof. There is no claim of breathability. Most waterproof jackets aren’t really breathable either and especially so after a constant downpour. In saying that, I have found the dvStorm stuff by eVent to be pretty breathable.

[Dexter]

Yeah there's not a hell of a lot of breathability in my hardshell I guess. Perhaps it's a false perception of more protection, and something built to last with a heavier fabric. Then again, you could probably buy 5 silnylon jackets for the price of a good hardshell.

Either way, I think Mountain Designs downfall is a mixture of a few factors. The saturation of the outdoor clothing market and their decision to follow suit, and also that they didn't seem to participate in the same false sales pricing structure that Kathmandu seem to be the biggest offenders of. Or at least not to the same degree. The average down jacket buying (occasional) day walker is going to see a similar product at Kathmandu and Macpac 'reduced' by 50% and feel like they are getting the better deal. Even if the products are of similar quality and the final price is similar.

[wildwanderer]

It always amuses me when people think they are getting a great deal at Kathmandu during the sales. They are actually paying what the regular retail price would be if Kathmandu didnt engage in the "sales pricing" marketing technique.

There is a store near me (not an outdoor brand/store) that is constantly on sale, (25% to 50% off LAST DAYS the banners say) and every month or so they have have a "CLOSING DOWN" sale. Store has been there for 5 years. You would think locals would have realised by now but no the store continues to do a roaring trade.

[Moondog55]

In the month prior to the closing down sales starting I did succumb and I bought a down jacket at 80% off
It is well worth the $99- postage included price but it is labelled an XXL and it only just fits over a LW jumper and shirt so it is really meant for the T-shirt and jacket cafe crowd, not to mention very short in the arms It is alright for that but it is heavy, the lining must be 90GSM and the shell is at least 340GSM and is a good example of not really knowing which market to chase
It is well sewn and looks good but the Asian sizing is typical of Chinese sourced stuff with no input from buyers on sizing
Let's face it most brands these days are just brand names with almost all stock coming from the same set of factories in the big clothing centres of the world with the same products in all the stores
I'm sorry to see the name go; I felt the same way about Loch Wilsons Bushgear, Bush & Mountain Sports and Snowgum

[johnw]

I'm sorry to see the name go; I felt the same way about Loch Wilsons Bushgear, Bush & Mountain Sports and Snowgum

I only realised the other day that Snowgum still has an online presence. The Sydney store has been closed for years and I thought they had gone altogether.

[Dexter]

They also have a physical store left here in the SE burbs of Melbourne. It's a factory outlet of sorts.

I have wondered if Mountain Designs will go down the same path since they haven't actually said they are 'closing'; at least to my knowledge they haven't.

[johnw]

They also have a physical store left here in the SE burbs of Melbourne. It's a factory outlet of sorts.

I have wondered if Mountain Designs will go down the same path since they haven't actually said they are 'closing'; at least to my knowledge they haven't.

Yes it's unclear at this point. I was thinking they might keep the online business going and maybe any remaining outlet stores e.g. Birkenhead Point in Sydney and the one in Brisbane. Either that or it will be some other business model assuming they don't fold altogether. Who knows what that might be.

[Dexter]

Yeah, it seems like the smartest option would have been to downsize their physical presence to one store per major city, with the rest of the sales being handled online. Perhaps that option was left too late. It doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen with all the melb stores closing. I suspect that both Melb and Syd CBD or a major shopping centre stores would have been their highest volume stores. CBD stores usually bringing higher returns as large shopping centres (like Chadstone here) have extremely high overheads, but sometimes run just to break even for the purposes of brand exposure.

Seems the best case scenario is an online presence at this stage. Fingers crossed they hang around, and hopefully maintain a decent range if/when they restructure the business. Snowgum is a shadow of it’s former self.


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[nezumi]

There is a store near me (not an outdoor brand/store) that is constantly on sale, (25% to 50% off LAST DAYS the banners say) and every month or so they have have a "CLOSING DOWN" sale. Store has been there for 5 years. You would think locals would have realised by now but no the store continues to do a roaring trade.

I don't trust "closing down" sale signs until I see a "for lease" sign on the window/building.

[Overlandman]

Any news on the 2 Tasmanian stores?

Launceston was recently renovated.
Over the years I have purchased a lot of MD Gear,
Good quality until the last few years where the first thing to fail is their logo.
Regards OLM

[Paul]

Information passed to me is that the Launceston Store is closing down,

Paul.

[crollsurf]

Just received an email titled "The Final Countdown" for the Sydney store. Store closing or final days of sale? Ummm. Maybe they just pretended to be keeping stores open so people thought they will still be able to return if faulty. I dropped in to the Sydney store a couple of days ago and they definitely were not restocking.

I liked MD and feel sorry for the staff, the staff were friendly and helpful. I agree there wasn't a lot of gear to interest me but I seemed to have bought quite a bit off them over the years.

[rsawyer]

I believe they are all closing tomorow. Launceston store has 60 - 80 % off all remaining stock. Very busy this morning and not a lot of stock left but a few bargains to be had.

[CraigVIC]

If they are closing altogether (my local shop shut last week) then kudos to them for such a classy exit. In a time when it is common for retailers to go out of business without notice, not honouring orders, laybys or gift cards they are head and shoulders above the rest.

[joel_hodge]

My local store also closed down which is a shame as it was much more advenure geared than any of the toys anaconda sells or high street fashion kathmandu seem to be marketiing for and their website is very low in stock which leaves me unsure of where to put my money now afters years of shooping at my local MD

[Penguin]

Little Bourke St Melb - going..going...gone

[Overlandman]

I believe they are all closing tomorow. Launceston store has 60 - 80 % off all remaining stock. Very busy this morning and not a lot of stock left but a few bargains to be had.

I hadn’t seen your post rsawyer, put $1 in the parking meter today and went to go to the Launceston store to see if there were any more bargains.
SHUT & empty
I have spent a few $ there over the years & called in for a look almost every time I am in Launceston.
I will miss it.
Regards OLM

[gstevens]

Hobart store closed and looking very empty. A few boxes laying around, shelving where shoes were displayed all taken down.
"Closed for Stocktake" on the door.

[Overlandman]

According to Ben, Hobart is closing.

https://www.facebook.com/MountainDesigns/

It is true that over the years there have been some excellent Staff.
Forum member Amanda who worked in the Hobart store was superb.
Regards OLM

[RonK]

Forgot to look for the last couple of weeks but remembered this morning.

The Fortitude Valley store in Brisbane is empty. I have always thought it was head office.

[johnw]

Forgot to look for the last couple of weeks but remembered this morning.

The Fortitude Valley store in Brisbane is empty. I have always thought it was head office.

Their web site appears to no longer list any physical stores at all.

[nezumi]

The email I received today said "Thank you for your support in our transition to our online only store" or something similar.

[crollsurf]

Can't help but think the closing 1 in 3 shops press release was nothing more than a deception and they had intended to close all the shops.
Pretty sure their on-line will fail as well. The majority of their business was clothing and I for one, still like to try cloths on before buying. They really have little or nothing to offer the customer now.

[Avatar]

Does anybody else miss the demise of the various Smith St MD Clearance Outlets? I found my weekly visits to be very much a happy hunting ground for affordable clothing, footwear and gear. Vale Clearance Outlets.

[johnw]

Does anybody else miss the demise of the various Smith St MD Clearance Outlets? I found my weekly visits to be very much a happy hunting ground for affordable clothing, footwear and gear. Vale Clearance Outlets.

I'll miss the MD Birkenhead Point Clearance Outlet in Sydney assuming it has gone. I've bought a number of things there quite cheaply. And it's a nice ferry trip and walk from the CBD. Well, you can get the bus but that's boring. Macpac, Kathmandu, Icebreaker and other clearance outlets still live on there.

[Dexter]

I found that the icebreaker clearance store here in Melb to be fairly pricey still. But I guess icebreaker has always been that way. I also feel like their quality has dropped a bit in recent years. Or perhaps I’m imagining it.

There’s almost nothing on the MD site now. Only scraps. I’ll be surprised if they will be offering the same range of clothing with an online only store. I suppose in regards to gross turnover, it’s going to be massively reduced, but with basically no overheads and staff to pay, they may actually make more money.

It’s a shame they couldn’t at least keep one store per city running.


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[Avatar]

Yeah. Is it just me or has the sales strategy of gear clearance outlets seemed to have hardened in the last 5 years?
Even in main store sales it seems to be harder to find bargain joy.
There seems to be no conviction to move old stock on and get turnover. More of a stubborn waiting game.