Craig Taplin places company Aussie Soles Holdings Pty Ltd into voluntary liquidation

A local business owner who “invested everything” into a nationally successful footwear brand that began at the Eumundi Markets 20 years ago has placed his company into voluntary liquidation.

Aussie Soles company's founder Craig Taplin at his Eumundi store. Photo Patrick Woods / Sunshine Coast Daily.

A Sunshine Coast footwear company, which began at the Eumundi Markets more than 20 years ago, has brought in liquidators after failing to regain its footing following the pandemic’s supply chain woes.

The company Aussie Soles Holdings Pty Ltd, which operated the well-known footwear brand Aussies Soles, appointed liquidator Clifford Sanderson on April 22, with instructions from the director to wind the company up.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission documents stated the Aussie Soles founder and director, Craig Taplin, registered the company in 2010.

Aussie Soles then operated out of a Coolum Beach warehouse from 2011, after starting out at the Eumundi Markets in 2004, travelling to stockists across the country.

Mr Taplin said the collapse of the company came after the much-loved footwear brand experienced difficulty recovering from supply chain issues during the Covid pandemic.

“We had a terrible season coming out of 2021, with strikes and increased rates out of China and the shortage of ships, those issues affected hundreds of thousands of businesses across Australia,” Mr Taplin said.

“We were delayed a bit with production but we couldn’t even be sure we were going to get the products into a container and onto a ship.”

Founder and director, Craig Taplin said the company struggled to recover from supply chain issues during the pandemic. Photo: Patrick Woods.

Mr Taplin said the Summer of 2021 was the toughest period for the business, incurring an estimated $500,000 in lost revenue, which had knock-on impacts up until the company’s liquidation.

“We lost half a million dollars in revenue in the 2020/2021 financial year,” Mr Taplin said.

“Even now it hasn’t been a great summer at all for retail, it is not just Aussie Soles, I think it is everywhere.”

Mr Taplin said he “invested everything” into the footwear company and encouraged more people to shop from Sunshine Coast owned businesses where they could as the cost-of-living crisis cuts into discretionary spending.

“I try and shop locally, it is all you can do really, if there is a local product you love and you can support it then please do,” Mr Taplin said.

Aussie Soles was nominated for multiple awards in recent years and took out the Manufacturing category at the 2018 Sunshine Coast Business Awards for their teamwork, business management, innovation and focus on future growth.

As the company’s liquidation progresses, Mr Taplin said it was not the end for the Aussie Soles brand, which he hopes “will live on to see another day”.

Liquidator, Mr Sanderson has been contacted for comment.