Crabtree & Evelyn Files For Bankruptcy Options

[paradiso28]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090701/ap_on_...elyn_bankruptcy

I'm not exactly surprised at this. I've meant to browse their store more often, but between the economy and C&E's propensity for discontinuing fragrances, the store just hasn't been high on my priority list anymore. I guess I don't want to get attached to too many scents like this, knowing that they won't be around for long.

[Aparatchick]

Also not surprised as they have been having absolute fire sales on their website recently, which made me wonder if they were desperately trying to raise cash.

[Twitchly]

Crap. I hope they make it.

Not pefume-related, but Eddie Bauer just filed for bankruptcy, too. I'd miss them less than C&E, though.

[VelvetSky]

No, not surprising. I've always enjoyed their Rosewater-scented products, but just about everything I've ever really liked from C&E has been discontinued.

[FiveoaksBouquet]

No, not surprising. I've always enjoyed their Rosewater-scented products, but just about everything I've ever really liked from C&E has been discontinued.

VS, you beat me to it: "discontinued." When they started discontinuing my favourite lines of soaps left and right--and that was many years ago--that was when I lost confidence in C&E. In another thread I just wrote about a fabulous cherry soap they had (not fruity scented and best soap on the skin) and they discontinued the whole line of that type. If I am not mistaken, I also think they stopped making a lot of their products in England and farmed them out to other countries. The "made in England" was part of the draw for me. Their stores in town closed down one by one and the one in Ogilvy seemed always to be languishing. I am sorry but not surprised.

[Dianne]

I'm not surprised. Over the years, our C&E stopped carrying some of my favorite products, then the store actually shut its doors, and it was in a large, busy mall.

[Thomas]

Not surprised. Their two big shaving sellers were Sweet Almond Oil shave cream, and their inexpensive badger shaving brush. They discontinued the cream (I spent COUNTLESS hours scouring the TJMaxxes in the area) and doubled the price of their brush (with a purty new handle, though), and the outrage on the shaving boards was palpable. Nnothing else in their line-up was a decent replacement, and I never bothered with them again. They really did themselves in.

[A as in Apple]

Me too, for everything everyone else has said. I rarely step into one of their stores any more, and I used to loooove their stores and products. They took a different turn in the last year or two and it seems like it hasn't panned out for them. I started buying their discontinued lines at TJM, and now that that source has been tapped out I'm buying my favorite lines on eBay (when I can afford them!)

[altodiva]

Me too, for everything everyone else has said. I rarely step into one of their stores any more, and I used to loooove their stores and products. They took a different turn in the last year or two and it seems like it hasn't panned out for them. I started buying their discontinued lines at TJM, and now that that source has been tapped out I'm buying my favorite lines on eBay (when I can afford them!)

That's a shame, but add me to the chorus of "not surprised." I always go into the store when I'm in the mall, even if it's only to smell the air, but I hardly ever buy anything. During the Christmas shopping season, I went in and found the most absurd aimed-at-the-under-25-market perfumes that were just utter crap. (I believe they are now offered for 75% off.) I found myself saying out loud, "Why are you alienating your loyal customers in favor of this?"

[CHARDKAY]

One of my all-time favorites was their Gardenia edp, which I love! I am glad that I have a bottle or two of it. You can still find it at different places on Ebay, but when it's gone I will miss it.

[rebecca1964]

That's a shame, but add me to the chorus of "not surprised." I always go into the store when I'm in the mall, even if it's only to smell the air, but I hardly ever buy anything. During the Christmas shopping season, I went in and found the most absurd aimed-at-the-under-25-market perfumes that were just utter crap. (I believe they are now offered for 75% off.) I found myself saying out loud, "Why are you alienating your loyal customers in favor of this?"

I didn't know this. It has been so long since I have looked at a catalog or went into a store. I thought they were more of an old fashioned company like Yardley or Vermont Country Store. Now it sounds like they are competing with BBW.

[GalileosDaughter]

Add me to the chorus. They discontinued their best items. Their new offerings smelled cheap but they were asking a premium price for them.

[Mitsy]

I liked some of their products/scents, but knew they had a habit of discontinuing products a lot. After so long, people will boycott certain brands when this becomes a habit. For that reason, I won't buy Revlon fragrances. It gets my blood boiling when I think of some that were great but Revlon simply refused to market and make available to the masses. Their loss...their stupidity. Some companies get what they dish out and if they don't listen to their customers, they will all likely wind up in bankruptcy unless they sell their product line to someone else which is fine as long as they don't change the products too much--otherwise, it's not worth it.

P.S. I just found this link. Apparently it is Chapter 11 reorganization instead of full bankruptcy so this would mean that they will likely try to stay in business but whether that means bringing back the products people want is anyone's guess at this point. I found it interesting that it says they are owned by a company in Malaysia. ?? :0

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/storie...29/daily41.html

[Eyas]

One of my all-time favorites was their Gardenia edp, which I love! I am glad that I have a bottle or two of it. You can still find it at different places on Ebay, but when it's gone I will miss it.

Me, too.. I tried this from a set of miniatures and like it. When I went to get more it had been discontinued! I was able to get a couple of the travel-sized sprays, so that will have to hold me.

[dragonfly411]

how sad, I rather enjoy them.

[Rosebud]

I love, love, love Nantucket Briar and must stock up because I really don't want to be without it. Also fond of Azzemour (discontinued), Savannah Gardens, Wisteria, and the Island Living one in the cobalt blue bottle...can't recall the name. I'm a-gonna be scouring for some good sales, hopefully.
But it does make me sad. They have some wonderful products and the stores have a nice ambience.

[FiveoaksBouquet]

P.S. I just found this link. Apparently it is Chapter 11 reorganization instead of full bankruptcy so this would mean that they will likely try to stay in business but whether that means bringing back the products people want is anyone's guess at this point. I found it interesting that it says they are owned by a company in Malaysia. ?? :0

http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/storie...29/daily41.html

Mitsy, thanks for the link. So much for your fine old English toiletries!

By the way, I have kept one bar of that particular cherry soap I liked to "refer to" from time to time.

[smelka]

It is a surprise for me. I still have their gardenia body cream and soap. I love burning oils and my favorite is the one they get out for Christmas, I also have a few of their Christmas candles, that line really caught winter forest smell, I have Winter Forest in L' Occitane, but prefer Crabtree @ Evelyn much more.

[mulchd]

Great! Hope they will have good sales before they close the stores here.

[TOTALone]

I completely agree with Rebecca and Altodiva. Why do retailers (including perfume companies!) seem to be compelled to morph into something different than what made them popular in the first place?? When changes like that are made by companies and brands that I purchase faithfully, it makes me as a consumer feel like my patronage wasn't worth much....like they are less interested in me as a loyal customer and more interested in courting new customers and blindly going with trends instead of having a real vision for the brand or company. Of course change will and should happen but I have to believe change can be made while retaining the basic integrity of the product line. Stay true to who you are is a good motto in a lot of situations and I think it applies here.