Betts to close 20 stores under voluntary administration

One of Australia's oldest shoe retailers, Betts, will close more than half of its remaining stores as it restructures under voluntary administration. The 134-year-old family-owned business announced on Thursday, July 2, 2026, that it will shutter 20 of its 35 brick-and-mortar outlets across the country, pivoting to a more streamlined operation focused on its strongest locations and online sales.

Administrators from Pitcher Partners Melbourne, appointed on June 24, are overseeing the process. The closures will affect all three stores in South Australia, the single outlet in Darwin, and seven of 11 stores in Western Australia, the state where the company was founded in Fremantle in 1892. Four stores will close in New South Wales, four in Victoria, and one in Queensland. Fifteen stores, including flagship locations in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, are expected to continue operating.

The retailer, which once operated nearly 220 stores nationwide, had been gradually closing outlets in recent years in response to declining foot traffic and a shift toward online shopping. Administrator Lindsay Bainbridge said a recent slump in consumer sentiment, coupled with higher fuel prices and...