- Do you know more? Email tips@dailymail.com
Beloved retailer Off Ya Tree is closing stores across Australia.
The store is known for selling alternative fashion, body piercings and bongs.
Several of the chain’s stores in Adelaide, New South Wales and Western Australia have closed their doors.
The recent closures mark the complete closure of physical stores in three states, leaving just 14 stores open in the ACT, Northern Territory, Tasmania and Queensland.
This includes Punktured piercing shops and The Bong Shop shops, which are also part of the Off Ya Tree group.
An insider who worked for the Adelaide store said: “They didn’t tell us anything, and I honestly doubt they will, but the store lost huge amounts of money because we were just dead.”
“Because of the location, there wasn’t a lot of foot traffic and there wasn’t a lot of marketing, so we weren’t reaching new customers and you couldn’t pay the rent with nostalgia.
At its peak, Off Ya Tree had about 30 stores across Australia.
“Anyway, the rest of the staff are now out of a job – and most of them were temporary, so they’re getting nothing.”
The store chain previously came under fire for stocking pipes, ‘stash tins’ and plastic ‘bags’ commonly used by drug dealers.
The brand has been around in Australia for more than 40 years.
Off Ya Tree founder Jim Kouts originally started a music company, but turned to hookahs to lure in a few more customers.
“The bongs did much better than the music side, and eventually I gave up on music and just continued with the bong side of the business,” Kouts told the media.
At its peak, Off Ya Tree had about 30 stores across Australia.
Kouts is still identified as a major shareholder in Thendro Pty Ltd, the company that owns Off Ya Tree along with other brands.
Off Ya Tree has been contacted for comment.