Noice
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| Private | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Alex Rockley |
| Headquarters | Livingstone, Rhodeland |
Number of locations | 400 (June 2020) |
Area served | Rhodeland Rhodesia South West Cape |
Key people | Marcus Haar (Chairman and CEO) Thomas Plachett (President and COO) |
| Products | Apparel, footwear and accessories |
| Revenue |  RD$797.79 million (2019) |
 RD$48.72 million (2019) | |
| Owner | MWH Partners, LP (Marcus Haar) |
Number of employees | 8,200 (June 2020) |
| Website | noice.co.rd |
Noice, Inc. is a privately held Rhodeland-based international fashion retailer that caters mainly to teen and young adults. The company sells apparel, footwear and accessories designed for teens and young adults. Goods are available either in-store or through the company's online store. As of June 2020, the company operates 400 stores across, Rhodeland, Rhodesia and the South West Cape.
Noice is headquartered in Livingstone, Rhodeland, and operates two distribution center one in Avon, Rhodeland and the second one in Broome, Rhodesia. The company went bankrupt in April 2016 and is now owned by Marcus Haar.
History
Founded by Alex Rockley in May 1980, its roots can be traced back to a small surf shop in Avon, a popular vacation spot along the Rhodelander coast. Noice built its business selling merchandise from established surf brands but later expanded to include skate and street wear labels. Before the company changed it clothing designing to more "preppy", high-grade, and high-priced fashions. The company offers products for both men and women that include: accessories, bikinis, boardshorts, body care, dresses, flannels, hoodies, jackets, jeans, pajamas, pants, perfume, polos, rompers, sandals, skirts, shoes, shorts, snow apparel, swimwear, sweaters, tanks, tees and underwear. The company went public on March 14, 1994 and at its height had over 1,500 stores across, Rhodeland, Rhodesia and the South West Cape.
In 2000, Noice opened a second chain of stores called LOUD. These stores where only mildly successful with the last of these stores closing in 2008.
Following Alex Rockley departure from Noice, Garrett Serhan was named CEO from 2000 till the company bankruptcy filing in 2016. Following Serhan departure from the organization, Katrina Weber became the interim CEO. Before James Glack was appointed CEO.
On February 23, 2005, the company restated results for certain periods of 2004 to correct its accounting mistakes for some of its leases.
In 2012, Noice launched the Rachel & Raquel Collection, a clothing and accessories line in collaborated with sisters Rachel and Raquel Curtin.
In April 2016, Noice filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. After failing twice to exit bankruptcy, Noice was put up for auction. Despite interest from a dozen companies no offers where made. Plans where being made to ask the bankruptcy court to convert its Chapter 11 bankruptcy to Chapter 7 and liquidate all its stores. But in September 2016, it was announced that Noice had received a stalking-horse offer of RD$75 million from Marcus Haar through his company (MWH Partners, LP), well below the valued RD$517 million it was asking at auction. Bankruptcy Court approved Haar's offer and Noice successfully exited bankruptcy as a privately owned company with 595 stores with no immediate plans to close any of its locations. Haar, he became the company’s new Chairman and CEO.
In 2018, Noice announced that it was merging with Fifth Harmony, an Alexandrian-Prussian fast fashion retailer, to form FHNE. Sallie Klann, CEO and President of Fifth Harmony, would become the Chief Executive Officer of FHNE, with oversight of both Fifth Harmony and Noice brands. With Haar becoming the Executive Chairman of the Board. In late 2018 it was widely report that Fifth Harmony shareholders where not pleased with the deal and would vote it down. In December, the deal was voted down by shareholders and the proposed acquisition was cancelled. Noice received a R$100 million break-up fee.
On January 7, 2019, Noice announced plans to close 195 stores across, Rhodeland, Rhodesia and the South West Cape. Stores are scheduled for liquidating inventory and permanently closing this year, which is expected to start immediately.
In 2020, James Glack stepped down from his roles as President and COO, but remained as an active Board member. MWH Partners, LP announced that Thomas Plachett would become the new President and COO. At the time of the announcement, Noice was down to 400 stores.
Stores
Stores are designed with dark wood and glass on the outside. Inside the store have improved sound systems, darkened ceilings and premium light fixtures. Display tables feature dark or light, curved wood and a wall display made of wood pallets—a look designed to evoke more of a surf/beach vibe. Stores are anchored by a T-shirt “rotunda”.
Items are placed on dark or light wood shelving, tables, or clothes racks. The clothes are hung on basic black hangers. The floors are typically wood or concrete. The theme and displays change based on seasonal lines and promotions.
Store Count
All stores are company owned.
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Beachjam Music Festival
From 2008-2016 Noice was the primary sponsor of the Beachjam Music Festival, a music festival at Lighthouse Point Park in Avon on the second Friday and Saturday of August. The event features musical artists from many genres of music, including rock, pop, indie, hip hop and electronic dance music. The festival, had been planned to return in 2017, but due to Noice bankruptcy, the company decline to sponsor the event again. Organizers tried to found other sponsors but failed to do so. Which cause them to announced it end weeks before its planned 2017 festival.
Controversies
Customer issues
In 2018, a customer filed a class action relating to a 2017 holiday gift card promotion. The lawsuit alleges that employees as well as signage said that the gift cards had "No Expiration Date" but Noice voided and expired the gift cards in early 2018. In 2019, a judge certified a nationwide class in the case. In May, the Class Notice went out to potential class members.
Delilah’s lawsuits
Since 2000, Delilah’s has sued Noice at least eight times for allegedly copying its underwear, and swimwear designs as well its advertisements for it. On all occasions, Noice prevailed in court, under the statement that Delilah’s cannot stop Noice from presenting similar designs since such designs cannot be copyright in Rhodeland, Rhodesia or the South West Cape. Nevertheless, Noice has changed it clothing designing to more "preppy", high-grade, and high-priced fashions. Judges have ruled that giving Delilah’s exclusive rights to market its clothing in a certain way "would be anti-competitive."
Strike
In 2004, textile and apparel workers union, Union of Clothing and Textile Workers, launched "NOISE" a boycott of Noice in protest of alleged workers' rights violations at the company's Rhodesian distribution center. On the 2005 second-quarter conference call, CEO Garrett Serhan clarified the Noice ongoing relationship with the Union and its effect on business. He explained,
Some allegations have been made about our company violating some of our workers’ rights, which is 100% false. Some of the general public and our customers, I think, are thinking this strike has been affecting our business. I can tell you right now it has not affected our business. You also can see proof in the number that you have in front of you. And unlike many of us numbers do not lie.