SHUTTING UP SHOP … FOR NOW
GEELONG-BORN retail giant Cotton On Group has shut its stores temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic, closing shopfronts across its multiple brands from last night.
The group employs 22,000 workers globally, but did not say how many retail staff it had across its stores in Geelong.
It is understood its distribution centre at Avalon Airport and its North Geelong headquarters will remain open, with those who are able to work from home doing so.
The Cotton On Group’s brands, including stationery store Typo, shoe retailer Rubi, Cotton On, Cotton On Body, Cotton On Kids and fashion stores Factorie and Supre, have about 650 stores throughout Australia.
Market Square is home to many of the group’s stores, and Cotton On Group brands also have stores in Waurn Ponds and Torquay.
Customers will still be able to shop for Cotton On Group brands online.
“As we navigate through some pretty tough times right now, our number one priority is to protect the livelihoods of our teams around the world as best we can,” Cotton On Group CEO Peter Johnson said.
“Here in Australia, this will see us continue to pay all full-time and part-time retail team members over the next month,” he said.
Cotton On Group will continue to assess how long stores will remain closed for as the pandemic evolves.
It is understood executives have taken pay cuts.
Cotton On Group said it had connected with retailers such as Woolworths and Coles to provide shortterm job opportunities for its casual team until its doors opened again.
“While this crisis continues to throw curveballs daily, we’re confident that we have the right plan in place to come out the other end and bounce back quickly,” Mr Johnson said. Cotton On was founded by Nigel Austin, with its first store opening in East Geelong in 1991.
The news about Cotton On Group’s store closures came after department store chain Myer, which has a store in Westfield Geelong, announced it would also temporarily close stores due to coronavirus.
Stores were closed from last night for an initial period of four weeks. Myer stood down about 10,000 staff without pay.
AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH SOME PRETTY TOUGH TIMES RIGHT NOW, OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT THE LIVELIHOODS OF OUR TEAMS AROUND THE WORLD AS BEST WE CAN.” COTTON ON GROUP CEO PETER JOHNSON