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CENTERVILLE -- A Utah company is closing its doors. Shade Clothing, known for its modest clothing line, announced Thursday it will soon close all of its stores and its website.
"The last couple of years have been difficult for all businesses -- [that's] certainly been true for Shade." Joe Kewish, Shade COO
Shade management blames a tough economy, saying they've struggled for a couple of years and that's why they're closing. It's a company many customers are sad to see go.
Raelene Christopherson likes shopping at Shade Clothing.
"I'm wearing shade right now, and it makes it so I dress modestly," Christopherson told KSL Thursday morning.
When she and a bunch of other customers found out the stores and website are closing, they weren't too happy about it.
"I'm bummed because I think it's going to be harder for me to find outfits to wear," Christopherson said.
"It was just surprising," shopper Vicki McMurtrey said. "I thought they've always done fairly well."
Fans of the clothing line filled the company's Facebook page with comments wanting to know why stores are closing.
"We understand there is going to be a lot of confusion and questions. We would ask our customers to bear with us and be patient with us," said Joe Kewish, Chief Operating Officer of Shade Clothing.
"...for us to be able to preserve the Shade brand and help Shade reach its potential, our only option is to sell our entire inventory and all of our assets, close out stores and website, and go dark for a period. If we can do this successfully, we will undergo a renewal and re-emerge at some time in the future."
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Kewish said the company has struggled to stay afloat in a rough economy.
"The last couple of years have been difficult for all businesses -- [that's] certainly been true for Shade," Kewish said.
The company says it's winding down current operations and getting rid of merchandise so it can close all seven stores and its website.
But Kewish said once the merchandise is gone, it won't be gone forever. The company hopes to change its business plan and make a comeback next year.
"If we're able to do this successfully -- wind down the stores and web -- then Shade will go dark for a period of time and then go through a reemergence sometime next year," Kewish said.
The company didn't give any details as to what changes will be made or when those changes would happen, only that this is a necessary step to keep the brand alive.
E-mail: aforester@ksl.com
