Ed Hardy will shutter their only Atlanta full line store at year end. The 1,400 s/f boutique, whichopened in late 2008, was located on the lower level of Lenox Square near VANS and Urban Outfitters.
The brand's overpriced, flashy and at mostly, gaudy apparel and accessories have apparently fallen out of favor, much as Von Dutch did a few years ago. Both brands employed similar tactics of appealing to niche celebrity markets and hoping to become sought after brands as a result. Entrepreneur Christian Audigier licensed artwork from Kenny Howard (for Von Dutch) and Don Ed Hardy (for Ed Hardy) to launch the respective clothing and accessory lines.
The Lenox Square store is currently offering remaining merchandise at 70% off original retail, in other words, around 10% more than it's worth. The brand's other store at the North Georgia Premium Outlets is in sale mode as well, as it too will shutter by mid January.
Something tells me a wake for the Buckhead store's demise is being planned for Modern Restaurant & Bar followed by an afterparty at Scenario Nightclub on Roswell Road.
Ed Hardy was never a good idea for Lenox, and its closure comes as little surprise to me... or multiple readers who have already made private comments to me about the store's closure. What would you like to see open in its place? Should Kat Cole try and bring Cinnabon back to Lenox Square and open a flagship of sorts? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.