Anchor Blue Clothing Company

Anchor Blue Inc.

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (apparel)
Predecessor	Miller's Outpost
Founded	1972
Founder	Dave Miller
Defunct	2011
Fate	Bankruptcy and closure
Headquarters	Corona, California , United States
Area served	Western United States
Products	Apparel, including denim, graphic tees, casual wear
Owner	Affiliate of Sun Capital Partners (before bankruptcy)

Anchor Blue Inc.—previously known as Miller's Outpost—was a U.S.-based apparel retailer operating more than 100 locations primarily in the western region of the United States. The company mainly featured its proprietary Anchor Blue label, offering youth-focused denim, graphic tees, and casual wear. Occasionally, the corporation was identified as Anchor Blue Inc., whereas its retail outlets were branded simply as Anchor Blue. In 2012, both the Anchor Blue and Miller's Outpost trademarks were acquired by Perry Ellis International.

Early history

File:Miller's Outpost semi-trailer.jpg

A former Miller's Outpost semi-trailer displaying the logo used during the 1990s.

The foundation of what became Anchor Blue Clothing Company traces back to 1948 when brothers Dave and Lou Miller launched Miller's Surplus (initially called Ontario War Surplus). Based in Ontario, California, this surplus store offered military surplus items alongside apparel during its initial years. It gained a reputation among local youth as one of the rare retailers in the vicinity carrying Levi's jeans. Eventually, the Miller siblings parted ways to pursue individual business paths, leading to the closure of their joint venture in the early 1970s.

Lou Miller went on to develop Lou Miller's, which expanded to multiple locations including the Mall of Orange in Orange, California, as well as stores in San Bernardino, Riverside, Montclair, and East Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Dave Miller established a separate retail chain called Miller's Outpost in 1972. Launching stores in Ontario and Pomona, this brand targeted young adult consumers. The enterprise experienced rapid growth, reaching approximately 100 stores by 1980. At that point, Dave Miller sold the company to Amcena Corporation. Under new ownership, the chain continued to expand aggressively, ultimately operating over 300 locations throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and additional states by the late 1980s.

Later years

In the late 1990s, the company rebranded itself as Anchor Blue to better align the store chain's identity with its proprietary line of jeans and other apparel for both men and women, which they designed, distributed, and sold exclusively in their outlets. Prior to this change, Miller's Outpost—and later Anchor Blue Clothing Company—offered various competing brands such as Levi's, Menace, and Mecca alongside their own products. However, when the company decided to focus solely on its Anchor Blue label, these external brands were discontinued. During the Miller's Outpost era, the retailer also developed and marketed its own urbanwear collection called Steel Wing, as well as an activewear line; both of these product lines have since been phased out.

The majority of Anchor Blue retail locations were situated within enclosed shopping malls.

Ownership of the company was held by an affiliate connected to Sun Capital Partners, an investment firm based in Florida.

Bankruptcy

File:Anchor Blue Laguna Hills.JPG

An Anchor Blue store holding a liquidation sale in 2011.

In June 2009, Anchor Blue filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This restructuring led to the closure of more than 50 stores, including all outlets in Florida and Georgia. Additionally, the company divested its sister brand, Levi/Dockers Outlet by Most, selling it to Levi's Inc. After a delay exceeding three years due to underwhelming sales results, the company launched its e-commerce platform in August 2010.

By January 2011, Anchor Blue had terminated its corporate operations.

Following this shutdown, the brand focused on "Going Out of Business" promotions, offering merchandise and store fixtures at discounts reaching up to 70%. Ultimately, in 2011, Anchor Blue closed all remaining stores as a result of ongoing financial difficulties.

References

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External links

• Official Anchor Blue website
• Anchor Blue Fragrance site Archived 2013-09-28 at the Wayback Machine