Allans Music was a chain of

music stores A music store or musical instrument store is a retail business that sells musical instruments and related equipment and accessories. Some music stores sell additional services, such as music lessons, music instrument or equipment rental, or r ...

in Australia. It sold all categories of musical instruments, instrument accessories and sheet music. In 2010 it became Allans Billy Hyde, but collapsed in 2012. It collapsed again in 2018, but into

voluntary administration As a legal concept, administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions, similar to bankruptcy in the United States. It functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent entities and allows them to carry o ...

. Shortly after, the

Australian Taxation Office The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is an Australian statutory agency and the principal revenue collection body for the Australian Government. The ATO has responsibility for administering the Australian federal taxation system, superannuatio ...

ordered the company to enter liquidation.

History

Allans was established in May, 1850 when Joseph Wilkie and John Campbell Webster started a music warehouse (Wilkie and Webster) in Collins Street,

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. George Leavis Allan joined the company in 1862, then twelve years after becoming a junior partner Allan found himself sole proprietor. (The original store had signage "Wilkie, Webster & Allan".) His son George became a partner in 1881 when the name of the firm was formally altered to Allan & Co. By 1877 it was the largest musical warehouse south of the equator, a distinction it retained; in spite of many changes in musical retailing, the firm of Allan built its name into the record of Australian music. The company subsequently became Allans Music Australia Ltd. It was bought by Brashs, to become Australia's biggest music retail chain. Brashs collapsed (going into

receivership In law, receivership is a situation in which an institution or enterprise is held by a receiver—a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights"—especially in c ...

in 1994 and in 1998), and Allans Music was subsequently bought by private investors, including The Roland Corporation. In 2005 The Brackenbury Group acquired Allans Music and as at 2009, operated seven physical stores (three in Victoria, two in

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and one each in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

and

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

) and an online presence.

2012 and 2018 demise

In 2010, Allans Music merged with Billy Hyde Music to become the largest music retailer in Australia. The company was later placed into receivership on 23 August 2012. All stores with the exception of Mona Vale (New South Wales), Shepparton (Victoria), and Darwin (Northern Territory) faced imminent closure. In November 2012, the majority of the Allans/Billy Hyde stores were liquidated. The final day of trading was on Sunday, 25 November. On 28 November 2012, it was announced that rival music company Gallins music had successfully purchased Allans Billy Hyde effective that date, meaning major stores would re open. The company was placed in

on 20 June 2018 after mass store closures to downsize the company and allegedly again owing employees. On 20 July, the company faced court over a case with the ATO and the Federal Court declared the Group insolvent and ordered it to be wound up. The company appointed Ferrier Hodgson as voluntary administrator and liquidator and was looking to still sell the business, but was holding a liquidation sale at the same time.

References

External links

The History of Allans Music
* {{Authority control Music companies of Australia Retail companies established in 1850 Musical instrument retailers 2012 disestablishments in Australia Australian companies disestablished in 2018 Australian companies established in 1850 Defunct retail companies of Australia