Long-established surf and skate shop ZJ Boarding House on Main Street is set to close its doors permanently in April, just four years after it celebrated reopening. Tragically, this has nothing to do with any local issues, instead, the parent company of the store, Liberated Brands recently filed for bankruptcy.
Liberated Brands is the owner of Billabong retails stores across the US and as any self-respecting surfer or skateboarder will tell you, Billabong is an Australian-based manufacturer of stylish and high-quality clothing, from wet suits and board shorts to t-shirts and flip-flops.
On February 2, 2025, Liberated Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing assets and liabilities between $100 million and $500 million. The company announced the closure of all remaining Billabong locations in the US, with liquidation sales beginning a week before the bankruptcy.
Since other brands are also sold in these stores, products made by other labels, including Quiksilver, Roxy, RVCA, DC Shoes, Element, Von Zipper and Honolua brands will also be affected. Items made by these brands will still be available, but online and this only affects stores across the US.
“We didn't really find out about all the mass closings nationwide until the end of January,” Manager Jack Meznarich told the Daily Press. “No one really knew where the retail channel was going to go, because prior to that, Liberated Brands laid off a bunch of corporate employees, almost 400 and that's when the licenses were pulled from them.
“And everybody was like, retail is in a way better spot than, say, wholesale and back office, we already have people looking to pick up the retail channel. So we had high hopes, I guess. But yeah, like, a month later, we got a call, and they let us know and that's kind of where we’re at.”
ZJ Boarding House has held its all-important location at the corner of Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard since 1988 when it was privately owned. Then in 2015 it was bought up by Billabong. However, due to difficulties negotiating a lease in 2020, it was closed for seven months or so before a new five-year lease agreement was signed and extensive renovations were completed.
The reopening was celebrated as a victory for the local surf and skate community, with co-founder Todd Roberts calling it “a silver lining at the end of such a challenging year.”
Liberated Brands issued a statement on February 3, that said, “Liberated’s 100-plus stores in the US will remain open and continue serving customers as the company begins its efforts to effectuate the closure of its US retail locations. Through the filing of customary motions with the Court, Liberated intends to uphold its commitments to customers, employees, and partners, including continued payment of employee wages and benefits. The Chapter 11 process will be financed by JP Morgan.”
Liberated Brands operates around 120 stores across the country and these brick-and-mortar stores have already begun liquidation sales, with prices being reduced even further week by week. All the staff at ZJ Boarding House will be laid off.
ZJ Boarding House is at 2619 Main St and is open Monday–Saturday 11am–7pm and Sunday 11am–6pm.
