Lincraft will close all physical stores across Australia and New Zealand
Lincraft will close its physical stores across Australia and New Zealand over the coming months, ending more than 80 years of trading on the high street. The specialty craft retailer said the wind-down will happen in stages while it keeps operating online, giving customers a limited transition period rather than an immediate shutdown.
Lincraft tells members first
Lincraft told Lincraft Club members about the decision in an email, and staff were told on Monday. The company said: "Today, we are sharing news that is both difficult and deeply emotional for everyone at Lincraft" and added: "After more than 80 years of serving creative communities across Australia and New Zealand, we have made the decision to progressively close our physical store network over the coming months."
"We remain committed to serving our customers throughout this period and helping you continue the projects and passions you love," the retailer said. It also said: "Importantly, Lincraft will continue to operate online, allowing customers to shop with us as the transition unfolds."
Online trading stays open
Lincraft framed the closure as the end of a long retail run, saying: "For generations, Lincraft has been more than just a store. It has been a place where ideas came to life, where families learned to sew and knit together, where projects were started, gifts were lovingly handmade, and lifelong creative passions were nurtured." That language points to how the closure reaches beyond store counts: it removes a physical network that has served households and hobbyists across two countries for decades.
For customers, the practical change is straightforward. Physical stores will disappear in stages, not all at once, and online shopping will remain available during the transition. The company also thanked customers for their loyalty and said it understood the news would be disappointing for people who supported the business.
More than 80 years ends
More than 80 years in business gives this closure a different weight from a routine store rationalisation. The retailer is not stepping away entirely, but the move does draw a hard line between its old footprint and the version of Lincraft that will remain online while the shutdown unfolds over the coming months.
Monday is the point where the news moved from internal messaging to a wider customer reality. Anyone relying on a nearby store now has a shrinking window to use it, while the online channel becomes the only channel Lincraft says will stay open through the transition.
