ListNook

tiberiusdraig Apr 27, 2026 +349

Once Boots developed the technology to put 100 hair ties into a single pack the writing was on the wall really.

349

Boris_Ignatievich Apr 27, 2026 +630

Where will teenage lasses gets their ears pierced now? Every f***** I know got them done at claires

630

DiarrheaRadio Apr 27, 2026 +321

What store will teenage girls steal from? That's the real question.

321

ABritishCynic Apr 27, 2026 +134

Superdrug, in accordance with the prophecy.

134

KreativeHawk Apr 27, 2026 +26

Primark, next question.

26

DubiousAdviceGiver Apr 27, 2026 +4

Tesco?

4

mcmoonery Apr 27, 2026 +26

I got mine done at TJ Hughes’. There are menaces with a piercing gun everywhere

26

ProxyDamage Apr 27, 2026 +21

If they're using a piercing gun they are a menace. Get a professional to do it properly, instead of a piercing gun "hack job".

21

darryshan Apr 27, 2026 +28

Anywhere that doesn't use guns. They're terrible and frankly should be outlawed. Needle-based piercing has far better results and leaves a much smaller hole.

28

SparklyMonster Apr 27, 2026 +7

As someone who pierced both ways, the one I did at a piercer got much better long-term results. My ears heal veeeery slowly, but my lobes (pierced during my teens with a gun) took years to accept anything but jewelry. Meanwhile, the 2nd and 3rd piercings have been behaving wonderfully once they healed (it did take almost a year to stop crusting, but that was the same to the 1st ones).

7

aaaaaaaarrrrrgh Apr 28, 2026 +1

> Needle-based piercing has far better results I suspect that needle-based piercing *with the same amount of training as is given to the people operating piercing guns* would have *terrible* results. (Which isn't to say that you shouldn't go to someone who has the good tools *and* the knowledge how to use them properly, just to explain why they are a thing.)

1

question_sunshine Apr 27, 2026 +32

Claire's pierced one of my ears at an angle when I was about 7 and I tried to let it close for 12 years so I could get a two piercings in that lobe. I know other people whose long pierced ears close after two weeks of not putting in earings. But no such luck for me. At least it looks straight from the front.

32

OperatorJo_ Apr 27, 2026 +17

I pierced my own ears in college. I haven't used earrings in.... 10 years. The holes will never close.

17

ApplicationMaximum84 Apr 27, 2026 +6

My mum got two additional piercings on her ears (double lobe piercing), but when she stopped wearing the second set both piercings closed up. The second set were done with a gun, her original piercing remain - were done the old fashion way back in the 60's.

6

DeeDee_Z Apr 28, 2026 +6

> the old fashion way Would that be the "ice cube, sewing needle, and a potato" method?

6

ApplicationMaximum84 Apr 28, 2026 +1

Ice cube no, it likely involved heating up a needle to sterile it followed by piercing.

1

Zanki Apr 28, 2026 +3

Mine have stayed open for 20 years. I don't wear earrings, but when I have to I can.

3

Zanki Apr 28, 2026 +12

Yep, I was one of those girls. I had an audience because kids from my school wanted to watch the show. Thankfully the noise of the guns bothered me more than having metal forced through my ears. It wasn't really something I cared about, but mum wanted me to be a "real girl", so I had to have it done. I was eleven. I hated them. Mainly because every time I lost a stud, mum would rage at me. As I got older I just stopped wearing them because once you get a back kicked into the side of your head in karate, you don't want it to happen again. Mum had an absolute meltdown over it. She didn't care I kept forgetting to take them out before class (I have ADHD), she demanded I wear them to prove I was a girl. One night she literally tackled me and was trying to force them through my ears, then when she didn't get anywhere and I still refused to wear them, it was proof to her I was gay and I was kicked out. Wow, I haven't thought about that in a long time. It was utterly ridiculous and absolutely terrifying. I'm not gay. I just don't like earrings. Can't even wear them as an adult. They make my ears feel funny.

12

hallouminati_pie Apr 28, 2026 +4

Your mom sounds like a terrible person.

4

CapitalStandard4275 Apr 27, 2026 +9

I was a teenaged dude & got my ears pierced at Claires LOL 😆

9

mantisdubstep Apr 28, 2026 +3

Same hahaha

3

spam__likely Apr 27, 2026 +5

they are terrible though

5

unneuf Apr 28, 2026 +1

Blue Banana I would bet

1

newtrawn Apr 27, 2026 -11

I didn't trust Claire's. I have done at least 9 pairs of earring-holes for my girls at this point at home. I'm good at wound care and we use the little kits you buy. So easy and c****.

-11

Ok-Highway-5247 Apr 27, 2026 +4

I had my ears pierced with a gun when I was 5 by a teenager at Piercing Pagoda. I still remember. It didn’t hurt too bad. The gun slid on my right ear and I always had a bigger hole until I got it surgically closed at 16 because it stretched so much. Never use piercing guns.

4

alextheruby Apr 28, 2026 +1

Hate to be one of your girls

1

Annual_Event_6111 Apr 27, 2026 +236

First the economy, now Claire's. How are kids supposed to traumatize themselves with questionable ear piercings in a public hallway now? It’s truly the end of an era.

236

Really_McNamington Apr 27, 2026 +51

Frozen peas and safety pins.

51

cakesofthepatty414 Apr 27, 2026 +32

You forgot the alcohol.... to... Steady your hand.

32

Annual_Event_6111 Apr 27, 2026 +3

well well well

3

SomeOneOverHereNow Apr 28, 2026 -3

If you need to drink to steady your hand you may have alcohol use disorder. :(

-3

iaymnu Apr 27, 2026 +92

Everything sold at Claire’s can be purchased for a fraction of the price elsewhere. The product is the same just without their branding

92

NotSoAwfulName Apr 27, 2026 +20

That's the crazy part, recently saw a bunch of their stuff on a clearance, and there were items that even at 70% off or whatever, it was still too expensive for what it is.

20

Killboypowerhed Apr 28, 2026 +1

Everything at Claire's can be purchased for a fraction of the price on their own website. It's the weirdest business model

1

ICameToUpdoot Apr 27, 2026 +142

That's a lot less jobs than I would have expected for 154 stores

142

TheWisePlinyTheElder Apr 27, 2026 +77

Assuming this includes corporate/non retail staff it sounds right. That's about 9 people per store and at least in the US there's almost never more than 2 retail staff per store at a given time. A staff of 4-6 for coverage is probably average with the extra being district managers, marketing, etc. That you'd never see.

77

NonStopKnits Apr 27, 2026 +25

I'm un the US and my very first job was a Claire's about a million years ago. Our store was low volume, but we only had 8 employees.

25

Ziazan Apr 27, 2026 +13

if the stores have an average of say 7 employees that's still only 1078 workers, plenty left for a warehouse and administration. If 6 employees per store then 924. Can't imagine they had many people at each store, I don't remember seeing one that wasn't in a small unit, usually with 2 people on.

13

vietnamted Apr 27, 2026 +73

Where am I going to get circumcised now!?

73

SmugCapybara Apr 27, 2026 +25

I'm sure you can find a DIY Youtube tutorial...

25

ProxyDamage Apr 27, 2026 +4

"Welcome to hacksaw jim's youtube channel, where I prove you can do *EVERYTHING* with a good'ol hacksaw! Today's topic: Circumcisions!"

4

YUMMY_TIDEPODS_YUMMY Apr 27, 2026 +6

Oh thank god I have been getting my tips from the hydraulic press channels

6

ProxyDamage Apr 27, 2026 +2

If you're feeling fancy, go for an angle grinder!

2

AFK_Siridar Apr 27, 2026 +2

> tips

2

KittyFlops Apr 27, 2026 +5

Ask an associate at the Home Depot to purchase a plainer and you can get 10% off.

5

Tween_LaQueefa Apr 27, 2026 +8

Not the only thing he's getting 10% off of!

8

Caffdy Apr 27, 2026 +1

careful there, Mr. Magnum Dong

1

ApparentlyEllis Apr 27, 2026 +1

[ Removed by Listnook ]

1

Material-Macaroon298 Apr 27, 2026 +37

Someone needs to figure out what to do with all this vacant mall space. Experiential retail, dining, theatres, arcades and gaming, heck, even casinos. I hope these just don’t become parking lots.

37

DaemonPrimarchJ Apr 27, 2026 +27

Would be so nice to have arcades back, light gun games are fun and fighting games are great when your opponent's standing right next to you. Outrun 2 was great too

27

Phoenix2111 Apr 28, 2026 +7

I'd agree, but in my local area (both immediate city, and 3x nearest other cities) they've had a number of owners try to do this, to very limited success. Most that aren't big chain 'Video Game Cocktail Bars' in only the most densely populated spots, tend to go out of business. The issues seems to be a combination of running cost - maintenance for consoles / machines is not c**** - and lack of custom, with many reporting they get a lot of 'gamers' online saying how much they want arcades and love the idea, but then they never actually go there, with many saying things like 'oh I kept meaning to go there one day' when they go out of business. It's really tough, how do you get that crowd to visit if they're not very social offline (or at least not all local to each other - online friends), when at the same time, not having those spaces probably caused that shift. Like a vicious circle or something

7

aaaaaaaarrrrrgh Apr 28, 2026 +1

I think a lot of it boils down to cost. The arcade has to pay for rent. This won't be c**** because it needs to be in a place where there are people. Then it has to pay for the machines and the maintenance, which isn't going to be c**** because they're *huge* boxes produced in somewhat small numbers, with software built specifically for them (the development of which also needs to be paid for). Make the price per play too high, and nobody will play it, especially as the main audience (kids/teenagers) don't have the money and the people who would have the money typically don't play. Make the price too low, and it can't pay for itself. Even in Japan, the arcades I saw are two floors of actual video game machines on the top floors serving as bait for the 4 floors of gambling machines below (claw machines with high-value products that a single customer will easily feed $50-100 in one session, *literal* gacha machines, etc.). Then there is vandalism or even casual damage, which is much less of a concern in Japan.

1

princesspeeved Apr 27, 2026 +6

I’m thinking 24/7 black light bowling alley…

6

TyrosineJim Apr 27, 2026 +3

Yeah that but with alcohol b******** and hookers. Wait thats a c***** with light guns? Count me in.

3

RhysA Apr 28, 2026 +2

Are they entirely gone where you are? We have quite a good number in Aus, in fact the place I go has two competing ones across from each other (One serves Alcohol so is 18+ and does board/video games and DND as well as the arcade.)

2

Ok-Highway-5247 Apr 27, 2026 +1

They put arcades back in my local mall and I love them.

1

vba7 Apr 27, 2026 +9

It will never happen, but it would be so nice to have community space in walking distance. I mean, various hobby stuff, dancing lessons, warhammer, niche cinemas, some other things - where you can just hang out. The space is worth too much, but at same time those malls can be empty and not used, waiting to be demolished in order to turn them into another block of flats

9

Forest_Orc Apr 28, 2026 +2

Where are you ? In Europe, especially in expensive city center, you do have all of it. Most town use taxpayer money to either have municipal culture/sport center, or at least to have a guard in school in evening so people can do hobby there. it's part of what keep real-estate value high, so everyone is winning, If you have to deal with the hassle of being in town without any community space within walking distance, then go to a rural area or deep suburbia, you'll get an extra room and a car for the same budget

2

valeyard89 Apr 27, 2026 +4

in Austin they turned one into a community college campus.

4

hoodiemeloforensics Apr 27, 2026 +2

They'll become parking lots, residential developments, or data centers

2

crucialcolin Apr 27, 2026 +3

Seems like a number of them have already become Amazon Warehouses too.

3

superbit415 Apr 27, 2026 +3

How about rundown abandoned space taken over by the homeless.

3

dbxp Apr 28, 2026 +1

That happens in hub destinations and places with disposable income. Poorer areas don't have the money to support such businesses

1

MoldyTangerine Apr 27, 2026 +21

Life’s a funny f****** thing…

21

Clegane-inator Apr 27, 2026 +3

I thought I was gonna die on that table.

3

Ciderbat Apr 28, 2026 +2

Mom its not real, its a JibJab

2

princesspeeved Apr 27, 2026 +13

I learned I had a nickel allergy because of Claire’s. Of all my childhood discoveries, it was one of my least favorite.

13

sdavids6 Apr 27, 2026 +6

Honestly thought they were long gone already

6

smvfc_ Apr 27, 2026 +11

I’m in Canada and I went into a mall a couple months ago for the first time in a LONG time and I was shocked to see that Claire’s still existed lol

11

tedsmitts Apr 27, 2026 +4

What of the tat? What of the horrible c**** tat?

4

ManamiVixen Apr 27, 2026 +3

Likely found soon in a Poundland near you.

3

KrozJr_UK Apr 27, 2026 +7

So where do I get my lobotomies now then?

7

ChanSungJung Apr 27, 2026 +9

Surprised this didn't happen a while ago tbh

9

OrangeChevron Apr 28, 2026 +3

Goodbye Claire's thanks for everything

3

[deleted] Apr 27, 2026 +2

[deleted]

2

h0twired Apr 27, 2026 +3

Private Equity is killing businesses

3

the_monkeyspinach Apr 27, 2026 -7

Life's a f****** funny thing. You know, if it's true that when you die, you get to go back through your life and relive all the moments for eternity, then I want some moments in there where I'm just dying laughing. I fake laugh every day for ten minutes, so that when I die and relive life's little moments, all I see is happy times. Ain't that the f****** saddest thing you ever heard? I'm sitting in an empty room, laughing my ass off to trick my dead self I had a great life.

-7

PartTimeLegend Apr 27, 2026 +8

You okay hun?

8

the_monkeyspinach Apr 27, 2026 +7

Sometimes I put my dad in JibJab videos so he's alive again.

7

calidownunder Apr 27, 2026 +2

I gotta find a way to make money off this…it’s simply TOO good

2

PartTimeLegend Apr 27, 2026 +2

I don’t know what a JibJab is, but if you’re willing to share a link to the videos we can both remember him. Then he can live in both of us.

2

spam__likely Apr 27, 2026 +2

oh boy

2

PanGalacticGargBlast Apr 28, 2026 +1

You’re sweet, but they’re quoting a show

1

SleepingToDreaming Apr 27, 2026 -9

Coming soon: malls in 'MURICA tremble with fear at the advent of Clair's closures.

-9

PanGalacticGargBlast Apr 27, 2026 +7

It’s ok, the one remaining food stall and lone anime figurine/wallet/knive store will be happy to take their remaining business.

7

SleepingToDreaming Apr 27, 2026 -1

No kidding. Also, what is with the downvotes?

-1

acecombatps2 Apr 27, 2026 -1

As an American, Claire’s sounds like a grocery store I.e. Walmart, Target… I was about to say I’m sorry to hear, but sounds like you guys are pretty happy about this so…. Congratulations?

-1

k1ll3rInstincts Apr 28, 2026 +8

Wait... Did you not know what Claire's was? Was in every mall I grew up around in the US in the early 2000s. It's a US company.

8

Claire's closes all 154 stores in UK and Ireland with loss of 1,300 jobs

💬 Send a Message

88 Comments