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FAO's used to be a prestige NYC brand. Of course, they carried many other branded products but those were mostly top-shelf (and expensive) as well. A LOT of formerly pretty high quality brands have ended up getting sold off to brand management companies and the like. I just got a few pairs of shoes from AllBirds because while the name will live on I have no doubt the quality will become pretty generic now that it's no longer a Silicon Valley must-have thing.

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> A LOT of formerly pretty high quality brands have ended up getting sold off to brand management companies and the like.

That sounds fascinating... I'd love to read an article about that.

You make me almost curious enough to do some digging. So many "mom and pop" type shops end up having to sell out for various reasons. A few survive but it's not common.

I can hear the whooshing from over here.

>I just got a few pairs of shoes from AllBirds because while the name will live on I have no doubt the quality will become pretty generic now that it's no longer a Silicon Valley must-have thing.

Didn't get the memo? They're an AI infra company now ><

It seems silly doesn't it?

LL Bean sort of has AKAIK. I could also name some less mainstream equipment brands out west. Probably REI too.

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