Iconic Melbourne retailer Fletcher Jones shutting down

Australian-owned clothing brand Fletcher Jones is closing all of its remaining physical stores and online business it announced today, in the latest blow to the nation's struggling retail sector.

However, the current owner of Fletcher Jones, Matthew Gowty, plans to sell the brand.

The business, which was once a shining star in Victoria's clothing industry, was forced to axe some of its stores and staff after it first went into administration 15 years ago.

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After a slow decline, the business announced to customers on its website the remainder of its outlets would close by the end of January 2026.

The business first started in 1924 when founder David Fletcher Jones began selling textiles in Warrnambool, Victoria.

The company opened retail stores in the 1930s and 1940s with a range of men's suits and trousers.

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During this time, the company manufactured most of its garments from a growing workforce of tailors.

Years later in the 1947, the company purchased a large plot of land in Warrnambool and built a garment factory on it.

The company's golden years began in 1970s and 1980s when stores expanded across Australia

The business also had manufacturing centres in Warrnambool and Mount Gambier in South Australia, both of which employed about 3000 people.

The company is the latest in a string of retailers to close their doors as tough trading conditions continue.

Cult Australian designer clothing brand Sass & Bide announced the business would shut down all its physical and online stores within weeks.

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