A baby goods retailer with 11 outlets across New South Wales has collapsed into voluntary administration just weeks before Christmas.
My Baby Warehouse NSW is continuing to trade but a freeze has been placed on gift cards, refunds and lay-bys as December 25 quickly approaches, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Robert Kite and Ozem Kassem from Cor Cordis were appointed to BHLS and Baby Zone, which trade as ‘My Baby Warehouse’ on Thursday, December 10 and the first meeting of the company’s creditors will be held on December 21.
The voluntary administration does not include the My Baby Warehouse stores in Bankstown and Campbelltown in NSW or the My Baby Warehouse stores in all other states and territories.
My Baby Warehouse sells a wide range of baby products, including toys, bedding, cots, strollers and prams.
Administrator Robert Kite told the Daily Telegraph the 11 outlets will continue to trade while the administrators investigate the financial position of the business. The business employs 65 people.
“Until our review of the business is finalised we will not be in a position to honour any lay-by orders, gift cards or refunds,” he said.
Online orders that have not yet been dispatched are also expected to be affected.
My Baby Warehouse NSW is not the only retailer of baby products to fall into voluntary administration this year.
In February, PramWarehouse, operated by a company called Baby Save, was placed in voluntary administration. At the time, PramWarehouse had four bricks-and-mortar retail stores as well as an online shop.
More recently, customised pram-making business Rozibaby fell into liquidation in October, with Fairfax reporting the business was hit hard by the falling Australian currency as its prams were made in Taiwan.
In 2013, maternity and children’s clothing chain Mothercare Australia collapsed after a slated sale to the Myer family fell through, while six years ago, baby goods retailer Babyco also collapsed.
SmartCompany contacted Cor Cordis and My Baby Warehouse but did not receive a response prior to publication.
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Eloise is an experienced business journalist and editor, who has held senior editorial roles at SmartCompany since 2014. Prior to joining SmartCompany, Eloise was news editor at Books+Publishing, the trade press for the Australian book industry. Eloise has degrees in media and communications, marketing and business management, and political science. You can follow her on LinkedIn, and Twitter at @ellykeating.
