Allbirds, the once-ubiquitous footwear of Silicon Valley's tech elite, is shuttering nearly all its physical stores by the end of February in a dramatic cost-cutting move. The company that once symbolized startup culture's mid-2010s heyday is closing its final San Francisco location along with most of its brick-and-mortar portfolio, leaving just two outlet stores in the US and two London locations open. It's a stark reversal for a brand that became synonymous with tech worker style and raised enough venture capital to hit unicorn status before going public in 2021.
Allbirds is pulling the plug on its retail footprint, and with it goes a defining symbol of mid-2010s tech culture. The wool-shoe darling that once graced the feet of every self-respecting startup employee is closing nearly all its stores by February's end, including its last San Francisco outpost—the city where it all began back in 2015.
"This is an important step for Allbirds, as we drive toward profitable growth under our turnaround strategy," CEO Joe Vernachio said in a company statement. "We have been opportunistically reducing our brick-and-mortar portfolio over the past two years. By exiting these remaining unprofitable doors, we are taking actions to reduce costs and support the long-term health of the business."
The translation? The financial picture isn't pretty. Just two US outlet stores and two full-price London locations will survive the cull, marking a stunning reversal for a brand that once seemed unstoppable.
Allbirds became the unofficial uniform of San Francisco's tech scene for good reason—the shoes are legitimately comfortable, if admittedly lacking in conventional style appeal. But that didn't matter when venture capital was flowing freely and every startup was handing out branded Allbirds as company swag. The minimalist wool runners became as much a signal of tech employment as a Patagonia vest or a standing desk.
