2018–2035Paliburg Holdings
A Hong Kong mall opened just 8 years ago is being torn down for 539 flats
Cross-border shopping emptied the mallAn 8-year-old mall demolished for a 539-flat rebuild
Learn from mistakes. Preferably other people's.
A working encyclopedia of business blunders
documented casesHow to use it
Planning something? Hand this archive to your AI.
Show it a plan, and it checks these 6228 documented cases for who already made the same mistake, and what it cost them.
1994–2027The Conran Shop
The Conran Shop's first Japan store closes after 33 years in Shinjuku
closure announced with no reason33-year first store closes, reason unstated
1992–2027Seibu Real Estate
Shin-Yokohama Prince Pepe ran 35 years — its own group sold the ground to a chip company
group strategy put real estate first35-year mall ends; site becomes a chip firm's HQ
2026–2027Asics Trading
Asics Trading ends four of its own shoe brands — everything becomes ASICS
portfolio review folded all into ASICSfour own brands retired; three names vanish
1950–2027J. Front Retailing
Daimaru Shimonoseki, western Yamaguchi's last department store, closes August 2027
Announced June 2026 after 7 loss yearsClosed after 77 years; sales ¥6.9B, down from ¥32.3B peak
2010–2027J. Front Retailing (J.フロント リテイリング)
Fukuoka PARCO, Tenjin's fashion landmark, closes in Feb 2027 for a rebuild
Closure announced 29 Jan 2026Closed Feb 2027; ¥27.2B tenant sales idled to ~2030
2020-2026NET
NET spent 6 years building an online-only budget brand — then folded it back in
NET folded its budget e-brand back in6-year-old sub-brand shut down, folded into the parent
1983–202642ND ROYAL HIGHLAND
A 43-year-old Japanese shoe brand gave up its stores and went back to being a contractor
labor shortage and a shrinking markettwo flagship stores and a 43-year-old retail brand closed
1983–2026Volker Lang Accessoires GmbH
A cult handbag label spent 43 years without an online strategy — that is what killed it
walk-in sales fell, online never scaled43-year handbag label insolvent; 19 jobs affected
1934–2026Sutor Schuh GmbH
A Bavarian shoe chain sold itself to a turnaround investor in January — insolvent by March
new owner, same losses, 11 weeks later41-store chain insolvent; ~400 jobs at risk
20th century–2026Schuhhaus Georg Horsch GmbH
A niche shoe retailer bet on one supplier for its hardest sizes, with no fallback
sole hard-size supplier went insolventinsolvency filing; 3 stores reduced to 2 since 2023
2026Xing Yu International
Arc'teryx and Salomon's Taiwan distributor lost both brands the same day
brand group direct-operates a markettwo brand contracts ended same date; 10 stores liquidated
2026Fung Leung Kee Watch Company
Rolex pulled distribution from two family shops, 83 and 55 years of trading gone in March
Rolex consolidates HK distributiontwo family watch shops closed after 83 and 55 years
2024–2026Musinsa
Musinsa charged sellers 27.8% commission and blocked them from rival platforms
vendors forced to fund its promotions10 trillion won ($7B) IPO valuation at risk
2013–2026Isetan Singapore
Isetan went from six Singapore stores to one in thirteen years
Lease expiries, 2020–2026, one by one5 of 6 Singapore stores closed since 2013
2022–2026姚姚酸菜魚 (Yao Yao Suancai Yu)
Yao Yao Suancai Yu quits Hong Kong; mainland sour-fish chain fully gone by March 2026
Last HK store closed 15 Mar 2026Full HK exit; every store closed by Mar 2026
1950s–2026檀島咖啡餅店 (Tan Tat Coffee)
Tan Tat Coffee: an 80-year Wan Chai institution closes; a mainland chain takes the space
Wan Chai branch closed 1 Mar 202680-year Wan Chai branch closed; space re-let ~40% off peak
2026Stax
Cult activewear brand Stax built on influencer collabs went into receivership
dramatic downturn in demandReceivership initiated by NAB to recover creditor amounts
2007–2026Right-on (ライトオン)
Right-on shrank from 500+ jeans stores to 230 in a decade and was absorbed by World
SPA jeans made wide assortment unviablesales down ~70%; 110 stores closed; independence lost
1968–2026銀都冰室
Ngan Toi: a 58-year Wah Fu Estate bingsut closes; award-winning milk tea gone
Closed July 202658-year bingsut in Wah Fu Estate closed Jul 2026