Blue Inc

Blue Inc is a British value-fashion retailer whose principal identity has been associated with affordable menswear sold through town-centre, city-centre and shopping-centre stores. The business developed from the retail operations of A. Levy & Sons, a company founded by Abraham Levy that originally traded as A. Levy & Sons, a hat shop in Stratford, east London. Over time, the company operated several retail names, most notably Mr Byrite, a discount menswear chain, before introducing the Blue Inc brand in 1997. Blue Inc was positioned toward younger male shoppers seeking inexpensive fashion with a more contemporary, street-oriented look. Its stores sold a mixture of formalwear, suits, casual clothing, footwear and accessories, with merchandise offered under the retailer's own labels as well as selected third-party brands. The business was traditionally focused on menswear, but later introduced womenswear, boyswear and girlswear in selected locations. Blue Inc's associated labels included Officers Club, Blue Inc and Twisted Soul, while a womenswear proposition operated for a period under the Pink Inc name. The chain expanded substantially through acquisitions and store transfers. Marlow Retail Ltd purchased the business in 2006. In 2009, Blue Inc launched a transactional e-commerce website, extending its offer beyond physical stores. In March 2011, it acquired 47 stores from the failed Officers Club retailer and retained many of them under the Officers Club name. In 2012, it acquired 20 stores from the administrators of D2, a boyswear and menswear retailer, taking the combined estate to more than 200 stores; the former D2 locations were subsequently rebranded as Blue Inc. Following the collapse of Republic in 2013, five additional stores were acquired from landlords, supporting an expansion of the womenswear offer. The business encountered severe financial difficulties in 2016. In January of that year, administrators were appointed on behalf of A. Levy & Sons, which then owned the leases for Blue Inc and Officers Club stores. The administration led to a major programme of closures and reduced the retailer's national presence. Around the period of its later administration, the business had operated more than 100 stores across the United Kingdom and had been regarded as one of the country's larger menswear retailers. In February 2019, Rerun Limited acquired the business from administration. The purchaser reopened 18 stores and announced further reopening activity. Reference material describes Blue Inc as subsequently operating a substantially smaller network, with 41 stores based in and trading across the United Kingdom. The brand therefore represents a continuing but reduced retail operation rather than the large national chain it had become before the 2016 restructuring. Its core proposition remains accessible fashion at competitive prices, with a mix of own-label and branded products.

Blue Inc traces its corporate and retail heritage to A. Levy & Sons, a company established by Abraham Levy. The original business began as a hat shop in Stratford, east London. It later developed a broader discount-retail presence through brands including Mr Byrite, a chain associated primarily with low-priced menswear. During the 1980s, the business expanded rapidly. It was subsequently run by Jonathan, Robert and Daniel Levy, the three children of Barry Levy. The Blue Inc name was introduced in 1997. The new brand was aimed at younger men and combined low prices with a more conspicuous street-fashion aesthetic. Its store network concentrated on prominent locations in larger towns and cities, including town centres, city centres and major shopping centres. A flagship location operated on Oxford Street in London. Although menswear remained the retailer's traditional focus, selected stores later added womenswear, boyswear and girlswear. Marlow Retail Ltd purchased the business in 2006. Three years later, in 2009, Blue Inc launched a transactional e-commerce site, giving customers an online purchasing channel in addition to the store estate. Expansion then accelerated through acquisitions from distressed competitors. In March 2011, Blue Inc bought 47 stores from the collapsed Officers Club business and continued to operate many of those locations under the Officers Club name. In 2012, it acquired 20 stores from the administrators of D2, a retailer specialising in boyswear and menswear. This transaction increased the combined Blue Inc estate to more than 200 stores across the United Kingdom, and the former D2 locations were later rebranded as Blue Inc. The retailer also expanded its category coverage after the failure of Republic in 2013. Five stores were acquired from landlords, and the transaction helped support a larger womenswear proposition. For a period, womenswear was associated with the Pink Inc name. Blue Inc's own product labels included Blue Inc, Officers Club and Twisted Soul, while the stores also carried external brands such as Adidas, Mossimo and Polo Ralph Lauren. The company's large-store strategy was followed by a significant financial contraction. In January 2016, administrators were called in on behalf of A. Levy & Sons, which then owned the leases for Blue Inc and Officers Club locations. The administration triggered closures across both brands. Around the period of the 2016-19 administration process, the wider business had more than 100 United Kingdom stores, although this was already a reduced presence compared with the period when the estate exceeded 200 locations. In February 2019, Rerun Limited acquired the business from administration. The new owner reopened 18 stores and pursued further reopenings. Reference material describes the later operation as comprising 41 stores across the United Kingdom. Blue Inc consequently continued as a smaller national retailer, retaining its historical value-fashion orientation while operating on a more limited scale than before its financial restructuring.

• 2019

  Business rescued from administration

  [1]Blue Incen.wikipedia.org

  Rerun Limited acquired Blue Inc from administration and reopened 18 stores, with further reopenings planned.

• 2016

  Administration and store closures

  [1]Blue Incen.wikipedia.org

  Administrators were appointed on behalf of A. Levy & Sons, followed by closures across Blue Inc and Officers Club locations.

• 2013

  Republic locations acquired

  [1]Blue Incen.wikipedia.org

  Five stores were acquired from landlords following Republic's failure, supporting the expansion of Blue Inc's womenswear offer.

• 2012

  D2 stores acquired and rebranded

  [1]Blue Incen.wikipedia.org

  Twenty stores were acquired from D2 administrators, taking the business to more than 200 stores; the locations were later rebranded Blue Inc.

• 2011

  Officers Club stores acquired

  [1]Blue Incen.wikipedia.org

  Blue Inc purchased 47 stores from the collapsed Officers Club retailer and retained the Officers Club name in the acquired estate.

• 2009

  Transactional e-commerce launched

  [1]Blue Incen.wikipedia.org

  Blue Inc introduced an online shopping website, adding e-commerce to its store-based model.

• 2006

  Marlow Retail acquires the business

  [1]Blue Incen.wikipedia.org

  Marlow Retail Ltd purchased the Blue Inc business.

• 1997

  Blue Inc brand introduced

  [1]Blue Incen.wikipedia.org

  The Blue Inc name was launched for a younger customer seeking inexpensive fashion with a street-influenced style.

Value-oriented British fashion retail with a strong historical focus on affordable menswear, younger shoppers and contemporary street-influenced styling.

• Menswear · 1997

  Blue Inc menswear

  The core Blue Inc offer consisted of affordable men's clothing spanning casualwear, formalwear, suits and fashion-led everyday pieces. The range was designed for younger and value-conscious shoppers and was sold through the Blue Inc store network alongside selected third-party labels.

• Menswear and fashion retail

  Officers Club

  Officers Club was operated as an associated retail brand after Blue Inc acquired 47 stores from the collapsed Officers Club business in 2011. Its merchandise focused on accessible men's fashion and remained present in part of the acquired estate.

• Own-label fashion

  Twisted Soul

  Twisted Soul was one of the own-label names used by the retailer. It formed part of Blue Inc's broader value-fashion assortment and complemented the Blue Inc and Officers Club labels.

• Womenswear · 2013

  Womenswear

  Selected stores added women's clothing as Blue Inc broadened beyond its traditional menswear base. The womenswear proposition was associated for a period with the Pink Inc name and was expanded following the acquisition of five former Republic locations in 2013.

• Boyswear and girlswear · 2012

  Children's clothing

  Selected Blue Inc stores offered clothing for boys and girls, extending the retailer's range beyond adult apparel. The business also strengthened its boyswear presence through the acquisition of former D2 stores in 2012.

• 2019

  Acquisition from administration by Rerun LimitedM&A

  Background

  Blue Inc remained in administration after the earlier financial restructuring.

  Action taken

  Rerun Limited acquired the business and reopened 18 stores, with plans to reopen further locations.

  Aftermath

  Blue Inc continued as a smaller United Kingdom retailer; reference material describes a later network of 41 stores.

  Source

• 2016

  Administration and estate reductionOther

  Background

  A. Levy & Sons, then associated with the store leases, faced financial difficulties affecting Blue Inc and Officers Club.

  Action taken

  Administrators were appointed and a programme of store closures began across both trading names.

  Aftermath

  The retailer's national footprint was substantially reduced after the restructuring.

  Source

• 2013

  Expansion into womenswearStrategy

  Background

  The collapse of Republic made five retail locations available and created an opportunity to broaden Blue Inc's category mix.

  Action taken

  Blue Inc acquired five stores from landlords and used the locations to support a larger womenswear proposition, at times associated with Pink Inc.

  Aftermath

  The retailer became less exclusively focused on menswear, although menswear remained its core historical category.

  Source

• 2012

  Acquisition of D2 storesM&A

  Background

  D2, a boyswear and menswear retailer, entered administration.

  Action taken

  Blue Inc acquired 20 D2 stores and later rebranded all of them as Blue Inc stores.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition increased the estate to more than 200 stores across the United Kingdom.

  Source

• 2011

  Purchase of Officers Club storesM&A

  Background

  The Officers Club retailer had collapsed, making a substantial store estate available to another fashion operator.

  Action taken

  Blue Inc acquired 47 stores and continued trading many of them under the Officers Club name.

  Aftermath

  The transaction expanded Blue Inc's physical presence and preserved the acquired brand identity in part of the estate.

  Source

1. 1Blue Incen.wikipedia.org